A new angle has surfaced with regards to Jimmy Butler's exit from the Philadelphia 76ers last summer. According to reports, none other than Sixers head coach Brett Brown played a pivotal role in Butler's departure during the offseason.
Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer broke the news report:
According to multiple sources, Brown had a hand in breaking that team up because he didn’t want to deal with Jimmy Butler, who was the team’s closer and who’s never afraid to speak his mind.
Butler entered free agency last summer, and instead of signing a huge extension deal with the Sixers, he instead headed to the Miami Heat in what ended up to be a sign-and-trade deal with Philly. At that time, it seemed like a win-win situation for both parties. Miami was getting the superstar they desired, while the Sixers were able to acquire a couple of assets in exchange, instead of Butler walking away as a free agent. After all, Philadelphia couldn't afford to pay him and Tobias Harris, and in the end, the front office opted for the latter.
However, the involvement of Brown in the breakup is a new addition to this narrative. It is no secret that Butler is not the easiest player to coach, and as it seems, Brown felt this exact same way. So much so, that he somehow used his influence to ensure that Butler would no longer be on his team the following season.
It is worth noting that this report comes at a time when Brown's job security with the team has entered an all-time low. He is expected to be fired as soon as the Sixers get eliminated from the playoffs, which barring a miracle, is now just a matter of time.
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