By leading the Miami Heat to an improbable run to the NBA Finals, Jimmy Butler pretty much destroyed the “bad teammate” narrative the media had bestowed upon him. Prior to Miami, Butler plied his trade with the Philadelphia 76ers, where many saw him as somewhat detrimental to the team. As it turns out, however, it had a lot to do with his relationship with the Sixers stars in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
Zach Harper of The Athletic detailed how Jimmy Butler actually saw eye to eye with Joel Embiid. On the other hand, the same could not be said about his relationship with Sixers point forward Ben Simmons.
Butler spent the next few months with the 76ers, assessing if this was going to work for him when his free agency hit in the summer of 2019. Butler loved Embiid. While Embiid’s conditioning and work ethic have often been questioned, his personality connected with Butler’s. Maybe it was bonding over wanting to punk Towns or maybe it was just two trash talkers admiring each other. Regardless, Butler was in with Embiid. However, he wasn’t comfortable with the rest of the situation.
Before making his move to Philly, Butler had a spell with the Minnesota Timberwolves, which ultimately ended in the now Heat talent infamously forcing his way off the team. He clashed with Karl-Anthony Towns because of a difference in philosophies, and while this was not exactly the case for Butler's relationship with Simmons on the Sixers, they were never best of friends either.
Ben Simmons wasn’t quite Towns from a personality standpoint, but sources told The Athletic that Butler didn’t view him on par with someone like himself or Embiid when it came to mental makeup. More than anything, Butler didn’t like the hierarchy of the organization.
Butler eventually made his way out of Philly after just one (partial) season. The Sixers sent him to the Heat, and the rest, as they say, is history.
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