The Process has officially upped a level. The Philadelphia 76ers officially announced the Jimmy Butler acquisition Monday, with general manager Elton Brand commenting on the deal.
Via the Sixers' press release:
“We have a championship window that’s centered around the continued progression of our talented young core, as well as our ability to add elite players who elevate our program,” Brand said. “In Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, we have two of the NBA’s top 20 players. Now, we’ve added a third top-20 player in Jimmy Butler, who is one of the NBA’s very best on both ends of the floor. This move further strengthens our pursuit of a championship and gives us a formidable combination to take on the league’s top teams.”
Brand also acknowledged the contributions of Robert Covington, Dario Saric, and Jerryd Bayless as they take their talents to Minnesota to play for the Timberwolves.
“With this trade, we’re also excited to welcome Justin to the organization and look forward to his contributions in the coming months. I want to thank Cov, Dario and Jerryd for all they did for this team. They are friends, former teammates and well respected in our locker room. We’ll miss them, but I’m confident they’ll continue to excel in their careers.”
While the Sixers have lost two of their most important players in the past couple of years, they got a veteran All-Star in return. Jimmy Butler, 29, is arguably in his prime for maybe two or three years more.
But with great power comes great responsibility. Now that they are not the underdogs anymore, the Sixers' front office will undoubtedly be pressured to surround Embiid, Simmons, and Butler with a solid supporting cast for a chance to make a run for the trophy.
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