When the Philadelphia 76ers acquired Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris this past season, the team thought it had solidified the team into a championship contender. After a heartbreaking playoff loss and Jimmy Butler's departure to the Miami Heat, the Sixers didn't get a whole out of the short-lived Butler era, but Elton Brand doesn't regret the move. In fact, he'd do it again:
Brand gave a non answer on whether Butler was a priority/why he thinks Butler left, but when asked about making the move to get him in the first place: "I'd make that trade again."
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) July 12, 2019
Brand dodged the question about what happened with Butler this summer, and it is worth wondering if the team truly made him a priority.
When reports first came out that Butler was looking elsewhere, many speculated on why. There were conflicting reports regarding just what kind of contract the Sixers offered Butler, who was eligible for a five-year, $190 million with the club. If Philly didn't actually offer that full max, it's no surprise Butler looked to go somewhere else.
Of course, Butler may have just wanted to go to the Heat to be the man in South Beach. Ultimately, the Sixers wound up with Tobias Harris and Al Horford on long-term deals, helping them reload to mitigate the loss of Butler. Philly also got Josh Richardson out of the Butler sign-and-trade, and Richardson will be another crucial piece to the puzzle.
The Sixers are going to be a fascinating squad with their jumbo lineups, and while losing Butler is a tough pill to swallow, there are still championship aspirations in place.
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