Once viewed as untouchable with the Knicks, Quentin Grimes will now return to Madison Square Garden in opposition colors.
Grimes, now with the Pistons, is set for a crack at his old side when the two teams clash Monday night, his first time playing against the Knicks since they traded him to the Pistons along with Evan Fournier, Ryan Arcidiacono and two second-round picks in exchange for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks just ahead of the trade deadline.
Grimes was battling a knee sprain when he was traded and missed his first eight games with the Pistons, but he made his debut Saturday night in a 112-109 loss to the Magic.
“I felt good,” Grimes told reporters after the game. “Me coming off an injury and not playing that much, you gotta get that game out the way. Everybody knows what I’m capable of and what I do, so I’m not even worried about that.”
He drew praise for his defense but struggled with his shot, finishing with five points on 2-for-8 shooting from the field and 1 of 5 from 3-point range, along with two rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block.
“His tenacity, getting over screens and staying in front of the ball,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said. “Once he figures out what we’re doing in real time — you can do all that stuff in walk-throughs and practice but in the game it’s a bit different — I like what he brings to the table.”
The Knicks acquired Grimes, who was drafted with the No. 25 pick by the Clippers in 2021, along with a second-round pick through a draft-day trade that sent No. 21 pick Keon Johnson to Los Angeles.
Grimes quickly emerged as one of the team’s most-promising youngsters due to his 3-and-D ability, and The Post’s Stefan Bondy previously reported that the Knicks refused to entertain including Grimes in any negotiations with the Cavaliers for Donovan Mitchell last offseason.
He struggled this year, however, and will soon find himself in the visiting locker room at his old stomping grounds.
After his coming out party as a Knick, Bogdanovic quickly came right back down to Earth.
Bogdanovic scored 22 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the field and a perfect 6 of 6 from 3-point range during the Knicks’ 110-96 win over the 76ers on Thursday.
But he struggled mightily during the team’s 116-102 loss to the Celtics Saturday night, scoring just eight points on 2-for-7 shooting from the field and 1 of 4 from behind the arc.
Having lost five of their last six games, the Knicks’ upcoming schedule provides some respite. The Knicks are projected by ESPN to be favored in nine of their next 10 games.