The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to send All-Star Jimmy Butler to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Timberwolves have finally parted ways with Jimmy Butler. The disconnect between Butler and the Timberwolves has been well-publicised, with the question being a matter of when, not if, the troubled star would be traded.
The Sixers have agreed to send Robert Covington, Dario Saric, Jerryd Bayless, and a 2022 second-round pick to Minnesota for Jimmy Butler and Justin Patton.
So, it’s take two for Jimmy Butler forming a big-three with two promising young stars. In 2017 he was moved from the Chicago Bulls to the Timberwolves to link up with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. When that deal was done, the Timberwolves were everyone’s underdog tip to be the next great super-team.
That big-three has been disappointing. In their one season together, they exited the playoffs early, falling to the Rockets.
In this deal, Butler will join Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons in Philly. This move is big for the Sixers, but pundits are a little more cautious to overact after what happened in Minnesota. The basketball world is now awake to how difficult it is for an established all-star to slot-in with two younger stars – on and off the court.
We’re also well-aware of how Butler can deal out a bit of tough love to his teammates, which is why Tom Thibodeau felt it necessary to trade Butler away for the good of the team’s chemistry.
It’ll be interesting to see how Butler’s personality will fit into the Sixers squad. The Sixers is undoubtedly Joel Embiid’s team. How will Butler handle that? Will those two alphas be able to coexist? Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz are passive, quiet players. Will Butler respect their approach or deal out too much tough love, too soon?
On the other hand, the Sixers have shown on social media an infectious team-first mentality. Simmons and Embiid’s embrace of Markelle Fultz as he struggles through some growing pains, has been impressive considering how young they all are. The team ethos ‘Trust the Process’ shows how the players have trust in the organisation and a loyalty to the Sixers that has trusted in them during difficult times. If Butler buys in to this mentality, they could have something special.
It’s a bold move for the Sixers, but one you eventually have to make in the modern NBA. To win in this league you need at least two all-stars, preferably three or four.
If Butler meshes well with the Sixers, they could be the new favourites to meet the Warriors in the NBA finals. If not, the Sixers have given up some core pieces, and Butler could sign for another team after a one-season rental. Then the process would have to reboot all over again.
The risk is great but so are the potential rewards of this deal. Sixers fans have endured a lot of losses during ‘the Process’, but it seems the tide has fully shifted. The Process is finally complete – we just don’t know if that’s a good thing yet.
By Connor Haddad
