Quentin Grimes wants to establish himself as a key defensive presence for the Los Angeles Lakers while competing for a starting spot alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Grimes joined the Lakers on a four-year, $60 million contract this offseason after spending last season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Speaking during Los Angeles’ media day on Monday, September 28, he discussed the defensive responsibility he expects to take on with his new team.
Grimes said JJ Redick and assistant coach Greg St. Jean are looking to bring him back to the defensive approach he showed early in his career with the New York Knicks.
“We’ve already had conversation JJ and Greg just trying to get me back to my first couple years with New York when Thib kind of gave me a lot of responsibility, being a point of attack defender, bringing that intensity, bringing that nastiness,” Grimes said.
The Lakers are emphasizing defensive intensity with Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams and Kevon Looney among the players expected to help establish that identity.
Grimes believes Walker Kessler’s presence behind him will allow him to pressure opposing ball handlers even more aggressively.
“It makes it easier honestly to pressure the ball a little more because you know even if you do happen to get beat because you’re pressuring the ball so hard that you gotta run into Walker Kessler in the paint,” Grimes said. “He’s one of the best rim protectors in the league for a reason.”
Grimes also explained why the Lakers appealed to him after previously playing for the Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks and 76ers.
He already knew several people in Los Angeles and had developed a relationship with Redick before joining the team.
“JJ, knowing him for three or four years now, worked out with him and then he’s always kept in touch,” Grimes said. “Always cared about me, checked in about me, my family and whatnot. So once that opportunity presented itself, it was kind of easy.”
The opportunity to play alongside Doncic was another major factor. Grimes played with Doncic in Dallas during the 2024-25 season before being traded to Philadelphia.
“Luka makes the game easy for anybody he plays with,” Grimes said. “Willing passer, wants to pass, but also a top-five scorer. So that was also another intriguing piece to come back and already had success with him in Dallas.”
Redick has indicated that two starting positions are available, and Grimes made it clear that he intends to compete for one.
“100%. I mean, that’s what I think having those comments brings out — competition, brings drive,” Grimes said. “I want to get everything I have. I want to fight for it. I want to earn it. You don’t want anything handed to you or given out to you.”
Grimes averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 75 games for Philadelphia last season while shooting 33.4% from three-point range. Across five NBA seasons, he has averaged 11.1 points and 2.3 assists while shooting 36.6% from beyond the arc.
The 26-year-old also believes the Lakers’ new group can develop quickly. After spending time together in Los Angeles and Slovenia, he said the players have already begun building chemistry.
“We’ve come to gel with each other,” Grimes said. “Just how fast everybody’s been playing well off each other. We all got along pretty fast.”
Grimes said his approach for the season will be to focus on the present rather than the Lakers’ long-term goals.
“You gotta just kind of be present, stack great days after one after another,” he said. “Not look too far ahead… just try to be present, to be where your feet are every single day.”
