The Los Angeles Lakers wasted no time reshaping their roster after completing a bold sign-and-trade to bring in center Walker Kessler. In the immediate aftermath, the team moved quickly to secure free-agent additions, and among the first to commit was guard Quentin Grimes. Grimes, who previously shared the court with Luka Doncic during a brief stint with the Dallas Mavericks, now finds himself reunited with the superstar in Los Angeles after Doncic’s own blockbuster trade to the Lakers. The 26-year-old spoke candidly about his decision during an appearance on ESPN Radio’s Mason & Ireland, offering insight into what drew him to the storied franchise.

“I think everybody wants to be wanted as a player, and I feel like there was a lot of mutual interest between me and the Lakers for a while now, and then nobody expected Luka to be with the Lakers, and we had a good little run with Dallas,” Grimes said. “It’s kind of like a no-brainer and a great fit, honestly.” He also detailed conversations with Lakers head coach JJ Redick, who laid out a clear vision for his role. “That was really one of the biggest selling points, talking with JJ and them and having them being able to pitch me what my role was like coming in and have a pretty big offensive role within the team, but also having a big leadership role on defensive end as well as taking on that challenge every night of guarding the best players and wanting that responsibility,” Grimes explained. “I want to have that challenge every night. So that was really one of the two main things in free agency.”

Grimes’ time alongside Doncic in Dallas may have been brief—just 21 games—but it left a lasting impression. He described what makes the Lakers’ new cornerstone a truly unique player. “I think it’s really just his pace,” Grimes said. “Nobody in the NBA is really like 6’8” with that pace. He plays with his own rhythm, his own cadence, and then he’s big enough to just push you on his hip and just bump and just shoot a fader over you or he gets all the way down the hill and makes plays. He’s got a one-in-one vision out there on the court. So his size and pace is just one of one, and it makes it hard.” Grimes also revealed that Doncic was the first to reach out after the signing news broke—within five minutes, he recalled.

While the signing of Grimes didn’t generate the splashy headlines that some other moves might, the University of Houston product brings a gritty, two-way presence that the Lakers sorely need, especially after parting ways with Marcus Smart. Grimes is known for his high-level defense, a willingness to take on the toughest assignments, and a reliable outside shot—he has a career three-point percentage of 36.6%. With the Lakers still active in the trade and free-agent market, Grimes’ exact role for the 2026-27 season remains fluid, but it could be substantial. The team is clearly betting on his versatility and competitive edge to complement a revamped core that now includes both Doncic and Walker Kessler.