Sixers rumors: Jimmy Butler doubted Ben Simmons’ mental makeup

Jimmy Butler left the Sixers! Had you heard?

It’s time to talk about Jimmy Butler again, because frankly, what else is there to do? The Sixers are still dealing with the fallout of Butler’s departure, which set in motion a series of events that led to Miami’s first Finals appearance since LeBron James. Meanwhile, the Sixers are at home haphazardly looking for a new coach.

Why did Jimmy leave? A question for which we may never get a clear answer. And why would he bother answering it? He’s doing just fine in Miami, so there’s no real cause for reflection. He has moved on. Sixer fans should probably move on too.

With that said, a recent report from The Athletic’s Zach Harper brings to light new information about Butler’s exit.  Per Harper, Butler “didn’t view [Ben Simmons] on par” with himself or Joel Embiid when it came to mental makeup.

This has been speculated about extensively since Butler left. It was clear he and Embiid got along, but his relationship with Simmons was murkier. We even got a report that Simmons was turned off by a text from Butler last season. It’s safe to assume the two didn’t see eye-to-eye, or at the very least, that Simmons and Butler’s leadership styles were dissimilar.

At this point, the conversation has become tiring. Can Jimmy successfully lead a franchise, and more importantly, lead a locker room? Yes. The Heat have proven that Jimmy’s nonsensically no-nonsense leadership style can thrive under the right circumstances.

On the other hand, it’s foolish to act as though Simmons’ “mental toughness,” or however you want to describe it, will prevent him from winning in the NBA. Simmons is one of the hardest-working defenders on the planet, he’s a generational playmaking talent, and he can very much contribute to a championship run. Just put decent pieces around him.

It’s abundantly clear that Butler and Simmons have different personalities, and sure, that personality clash might have led to a falling out. It’s possible Simmons was at the core of Butler’s decision to leave. But when you extrapolate beyond the manufactured beef, it becomes clear that other factors contributed to Butler’s departure, and those other factors were probably more important in the end.

So, is this really news? Yes. It is also a confirmation of everyone’s gut feeling, and not particularly surprising or illuminating. The Heat have, in Butler’s own words, allowed him to be himself. The Sixers didn’t do that, nor did Chicago or Minnesota before him. The Sixers messed up, and deserve immeasurable criticism for their mistakes, but we can probably retire the Simmons vs. Butler narrative. It leads nowhere important.

R.I.P. to the Headband Bros.