The Sixer Sense
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Processing the Philadelphia 76ers: Jimmy Butler and the championship window

By Christopher Kline

Jimmy Butler | Philadelphia 76ers (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
Jimmy Butler | Philadelphia 76ers (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Despite a young core, the Philadelphia 76ers’ title window isn’t infinitely long. Jimmy Butler points to the front office’s urgency.

The Philadelphia 76ers disrupted the Eastern Conference playoff picture over the weekend, nabbing Jimmy Butler and forming the most talented trio outside Golden State. For the first time since the Process began, the championship window is open.

The Sixers now have a reliable go-to scorer who can carry the offense late in games. The Sixers aren’t favorites over Boston and Toronto, but Butler puts them in the conversation. It’s difficult to deny two top-15 NBA players and Ben Simmons, who’s somewhere in the top 30.

As expected, the trade generated mixed feelings among fans. Some point to the Sixers’ young core and long-term approach, questioning Butler’s age (29) and impending contract extension. It’s a valid concern, as Jimmy doesn’t fit the timeline on paper.

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The logic behind those concerns might be flawed, though. The Sixers have a young core, but that doesn’t mean their title window is endless. Eventually salary cap and other factors will catch up, regardless of age and experience.

Without Butler, the Sixers would enter 2019 free agency with few guarantees. Kevin Durant isn’t coming to South Philly, while Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving are both off the table (or so it seems). There’s always a chance Butler leaves, but that’s the risk competitive teams take.

If the Sixers weren’t able to sign a big-name free agent in 2019, both Simmons and Dario Saric would command hefty extensions, essentially eliminating the Sixers’ available cap space. Simmons would get the max and Saric would command somewhere in the $15-20 million range per season.

Offering that money to Saric is quite the gamble. The Sixers would either give Saric a questionable contract or let him walk when the Bulls offer $80 million. Unloading Saric for another star is maximizing his value to the franchise.

To put it simply, opportunities to add stars aren’t unlimited. The Sixers have one, very shaky free agency period left with available cap space. Getting a third star has never been a guarantee.

If that time were to pass without adding a star, the chances Philly stews in no-man’s land — good enough to win playoff games, but not good enough to reach the Finals — would only increase. Getting a star via trade is a gamble, but one the Sixers almost had to make.

That’s why the Sixers should have been more assertive in the Kawhi Leonard negotiations. Butler is the next best thing, filling a clear need and giving the Sixers (again) an elite talent on the wing. He pushes them to another competitive level.

It’s also worth noting how cheap Butler was. The Sixers received a four-time All-Star without shedding a single first-round pick. It also leaves the Sixers with cap space in 2019, just in case a fourth star walks through the doors in Camden.

In the NBA, we’ve seen promising situations go south with breakneck speed. Teams, even with talented young cores, can’t prop open the championship window forever. Risks must be taken, and high-level talent must be added.

The Sixers made the right move for Butler. Even if it doesn’t work out — even if he leaves next summer — it was (and will continue to be) the right move from Elton Brand.

Get ready for a new era, Philadelphia.

Here’s some of the best Sixers content from around the web.

Sohi dives into Butler’s complex history, the need for change, and how both sides complement each other. It might not work out, but it’s a gamble worth taking. An absolute must read.

Wimmer drops a gem on Fultz, his shooting woes, his innate talent and the importance of context when evaluating a player’s situation. Fultz is on the line between bust and high-upside prospect, but it’s important to remind ourselves of his unique circumstances and human qualities.

Fitting three stars into the same rotation is challenging. It’s even more challenging when one’s a post-centric big and another can’t shoot. Favakeh breaks down Butler’s game and how it fits next to the Sixers’ unique core pieces.

Anderson breaks down Butler’s fit in the starting five, the roster as a whole, and whether or not the trade was the right move.

There have been lingering chemistry concerns hovering around the Sixers this season, starting with the perception of Embiid and Simmons’ friendship (or lack thereof). Adding a fiery competitor to the mix in Butler, the potential for splintering is there. Weitzman touches on the risk-reward aspect of the trade.

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Next. 5 reasons to love the Jimmy Butler trade. dark

Processing the Philadelphia 76ers will be back next week.