The Los Angeles Lakers clearly believe in Quentin Grimes as a franchise cornerstone. Los Angeles boldly signed Grimes to a four-year contract worth $60 million, overlooking concerns about his decline in efficiency in 2025-26 and trusting that he could be an ideal fit across multiple seasons.
If the Lakers are going to help Grimes rediscover his efficient shooting and maximize his impact, then they'll need to change the way they run their offense—particularly in regard to catch-and-shoot opportunities.
Grimes finished the 2025-26 season with averages of 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.7 three-point field goals made per game on .450/.334/.840 shooting. It was a solid all-around season, of course, but his slash line plummeted from .467/.385/.757 in 2024-25.
Despite that decline in efficiency, Grimes seemed to imply that the Lakers promised him a bigger role on offense than he may have played a season ago.
"[Opportunity] really one of the biggest selling points, talking with JJ [Redick] and having them be able to pitch me what my role would look like. Coming in to have a pretty big offensive role within the team, but also having a big leadership role on defense as well."
A four-year contract implies absolute faith in Grimes' ability to play up to his potential, but helping him do so will mean acknowledging his flaws and learning how to work around them.
Lakers must change catch-and-shoot approach to help Quentin Grimes
One of the primary reasons for Grimes' decline in efficiency was that he shot 24.0 percent on 1.7 pull-up threes per game in 2025-26 compared to 36.8 percent on 2.2 attempts in 2024-25. The one constant across those two seasons, however, was that he shot 38.3 percent on catch-and-shoot threes in 2025-26 and 39.4 percent in 2024-25.
With a history of catch-and-shoot efficiency, Grimes looks to be a perfect fit alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves—star-caliber downhill finishers and playmakers.
Unfortunately, the Lakers have somehow failed to capitalize on catch-and-shoot opportunities during the Doncic era. In 2025-26, for instance, Los Angeles ranked dead last in catch-and-shoot three-point field goals made despite ranking No. 12 in efficiency.
If the Lakers are going to help Grimes realize his potential as an all-around offensive player, then they'll need to change the way they value catch-and-shoot opportunities.
Lakers must get Quentin Grimes into a rhythm to maximize his impact
By prioritizing the most efficient shots in Grimes' arsenal, the Lakers can help him build confidence and get into a healthier rhythm as a scorer. He's more than capable of thriving once he's established positive patterns, but Los Angeles must ensure that his usage fits his strengths.
For instance: This past season, Grimes shot 53.6 percent on 6.6 drives per game. That aligns with Dan Woike of The Athletic reporting that the Lakers value being able to "punish a defender off the dribble."
Grimes has also showed promise as a playmaker in the past. He averaged just 2.3 assists per 36 minutes in three seasons with the New York Knicks, but finished the 2025-26 campaign at 4.2. It's yet another example of Grimes having a versatile skill set.
If the Lakers are hoping to bring the best out of Grimes and accentuate those strengths, however, then they must start with prioritizing catch-and-shoot opportunities.
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