Should the Sacramento Kings target Quentin Grimes on the trade market?

The New York Knicks opened up this year’s trade season when they sent Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett to Toronto for OG Anunoby. Thanks to that trade, they now have one of the best 3-and-D wings in the league next to Jalen Brunson and Julius Randale. 

Since Anunoby made his Knicks debut, they have won eight out of the last ten games. Things are going well but it seems that they are not done making moves yet. Quentin Grimes might be on his way out soon, as the New York Post reported that the Knicks are looking to trade him. 

Grimes earned a starting spot last season when the Knicks focused on defense to turn their season around. This season, his minutes have gone down by quite a lot and he only started 18 games. Between Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, Miles McBride, and Grimes, minutes at the wing and guard spots were hard to come by. 

Even after Quickley and Barrett have been taken out of the equation, Grimes often struggles to get minutes and is understandably frustrated. Thus, moving him would be the best option for both sides. 

Should the Kings go after Grimes?

The Kings need to make some changes. They need better defenders and a better supporting cast around De’Aaron Fox, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis. Malik Monk and Trey Lyles have been solid off the bench most of the season, Kevin Huerter seems to have found his shot again, and Sasha Vezenkov is getting along as well, but that is not enough to seriously compete in the West.

The Kings have lost four games in a row, including an overtime loss in Milwaukee they should have won, a blown 20-point lead in Phoenix, and a loss to the Pacers without Tyrese Haliburton. 

Some new energy and new personnel are needed to shake things up. Grimes could be a solid fit. He is a good defender, and the Knicks trusted him to guard Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, and Anthony Edwards among others. 

He can take on the top guards in the league, which is something the Kings could definitely use. Their guard rotation consists of Fox, Huerter, and Monk right now. Out of that group, only Fox is a solid defender, and he can’t be everywhere on the court. 

As a result, Keegan Murray often matches up with point guards, taking his size away from the wing. Adding another perimeter defender to the mix would definitely help. Grimes alone wouldn’t fix the Kings’ bad defense, especially if he were to come off the bench, but he would certainly help. 

Offensively, he’d be a solid addition as well. Over his two-and-a-half seasons in the league so far, he has never shot less than 38 percent from three on over four attempts per game. 

Three-point shooting is crucial to the Kings’ success, so adding a shooter is always a sound choice, especially if he is a good defender. Plus, Grimes is only 23 years old. This is not the final version of him as an NBA player. He is already a solid 3-and-D player but could get even better down the line. 

The Kings might prefer someone with a little more playoff experience, but you can’t have everything. Players, who are good defenders, can stretch the floor, and have playoff experience, don’t grow on trees. 

Getting Grimes alone won’t move the needle for the Kings. They need more than that, but if the price is right, he would be a solid addition to the Kings’ supporting cast. So, yes, the Kings should definitely look into this and see what it would cost to get the young 3-and-D wing.