Former Knicks Guard Returns for First Time, Talks Tom Thibodeau

New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau is well-known for placing heavy workloads on his men.

Feb 22, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) reacts after scoring against the Brooklyn Nets during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

A former New York Knicks starter found Tom Thibodeau's heavy workloads to be anything but grimy.

The next episode of Knicks basketball will be a reunion show, as Quentin Grimes will play his first game at Madison Square Garden in over a calendar year when the Philadelphia 76ers visit Manhattan for a Wednesday night divisional clash (7 p.m. ET, MSG/ESPN). It'll be Grimes first time facing the Knicks at MSG since New York dealt him to Detroit at last winter's trade deadline.

May 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Knicks guard Quentin Grimes (6) reacts as Miami Heat guard Max Strus (31) defends in the first quarter during game four of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Like many Knicks of the new decade, Grimes has been subjected to head coach Tom Thibodeau's heavy workloads as a New Yorker, spending his first two-plus seasons in Manhattan after arriving as a first-round pick on draft night in 2021. While some have happily acted as informants for the "minutes police" that supposedly haunts Thibodeau, Grimes was not one of them, believing Thibodeau has prepared him for the rest of his NBA career.

"Trust me, nobody's complaining when you playing 38, 40 minutes of a game, especially when I was,” Grimes said leading into Wednesday's game, per Sam DiGiovanni of ClutchPoints. “It definitely takes a toll on you but you're not complaining because you know that he trusts you to go out there and play those minutes. So, it's definitely kind of a thing, a respect factor, that he trusts you to go out there and try to get the job done no matter how long you're out there playing.”

Over his time in New York, Grimes was a serviceable two-way talent and earned a starting nod in the early stages of the 2022-23 season. He reprised that role at the start of last year but was eventually usurped in the primary lineup by Donte DiVincenzo. As a sophomore in New York during the 2022-23 campaign, Grimes played a major role in the Knicks' return to the postseason, playing eight 40-minute games, including a full tally of 48 in a playoff triumph over Miami.

Grimes was traded to the Detroit Pistons at the deadline in the deal that acquired Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks but he was limited to six games due to an injury. The Pistons traded Grimes to Dallas over the offseason in a deal that ironically involved fellow former Knick Tim Hardaway Jr.

In Dallas, Grimes put up 10.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 47 appearances, including a 21-tally showing with seven boards in a December win over the Knicks. He was once again a deadline asset in 2025, swapped for Caleb Martin as the Sixers (20-37) try to regain their footing in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Feb 12, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) drives to the basket against Brooklyn Nets guard Reece Beekman (4) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Amidst the Sixers' struggles—they enter Wednesday's game as loser of their past eight—Grimes has emerged as a bit of a silver lining, averaging 14.9 points on over 46 percent from the field in his debut seven showings. That includes a season-best 30 points in a Feb. 12 loss in Brooklyn, a game that saw him fall one rebound short of a double-double.

Grimes is listed as probable on Wednesday's injury report due to knee soreness but Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice states that he is "not worried" about the ailment.

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