The Philadelphia 76ers are keeping Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler on their radar as they search for roster upgrades.
Butler's willingness to leave Miami doesn’t appear to be all that massive right now but Philly is making itself ready if that changes. If Butler does force his way out, the team is willing to offer him a maximum contract extension, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Pompey writes the following: “The Sixers view [Butler] as a fallback option if they are unable to sign Paul George in free agency. And, according to sources, the Sixers are prepared to give Butler a maximum-salary extension if things align and he forces a trade out of Miami.”
Butler is reportedly pursuing a two-year contract extension worth $113 million this offseason. The Heat and the 34-year-old star both expressed a desire to remain together despite team president Pat Riley's fiery comments following their season. But things change quickly in the NBA. If Butler’s exit from the Heat becomes more likely, Philly could swoop in and bring him back.
76ers willing to sign Jimmy Butler to max extension if he demands trade from Heat
The 76ers could really use a wing player with experience in the playoffs. Butler perfectly fits that description, which team president of basketball operations Daryl Morey offered as the team's biggest need. Even though he’s past his prime, he can still play a big role on a good team.
Having Butler would give the 76ers a playoff-hardened wing who can score, make plays for others and defend. With Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to help out, Butler would benefit from getting better looks on offense and having dangerous scorers to pass to. Defensively, while he’s on the decline, Butler still brings a cunning, smart style of play that would be boosted by (and help boost) Embiid's stout rim protection.
The issue with trading for Butler is that it would cost the Sixers assets that they could have otherwise used to build out the rest of the team. Signing a free agent — like George or LeBron James, both of whom have been linked to Philly already — does eat up cap space but reserves their draft picks to be used in other deals. Acquiring Butler would cost both, especially because the Heat's asking price on their face-of-the-franchise star would not be cheap.
Additionally, Butler's on-court fit with the Sixers isn’t very clean. His unwillingness to shoot threes makes him a tougher off-ball fit with Embiid and Maxey. With his athleticism on the decline, thus making him less effective at attacking downhill — a huge part of his game — he would either have to get comfortable shooting from deep or the 76ers would have to massively reconfigure their offense. Butler is also prone to injuries and missing time in the regular season, just like Embiid.
Still, having Butler on the ball would infuse more playmaking into Philly’s offense. He could be an additional pick-and-roll/pop partner with Embiid and allow Maxey to get more looks as a spot-up shooter, a skill he thrives at. He's also someone who has been on deep playoff runs, which the Sixers still have yet to do with Embiid. He and Butler have maintained a good relationship since their brief stint as teammates. Maybe a reunion would be more successful and last longer than half a season.
Given the unlikelihood that the Heat make Jimmy Butler available for trade — and are willing to deal him to a conference foe if they do — the 76ers are better off prioritizing other ways to get better. Putting a pin in the idea, though, is worthwhile.
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