The Philadelphia 76ers have a lot of tools to work with in the trade market, giving the front office a lot of possibilities to explore between now and the trade deadline next month. Of course, that includes further doubling down on their already razor sharp win-now cause by making another grand move that could alter the NBA landscape.
Perhaps the hottest commodity in the rumor mill as of late, Jimmy Butler is currently entangled in a messy situation in Miami. The six-time All-Star had just publicly demanded a trade which the Heat unprecedentedly countered by suspending him for seven games — a pretty long period for a non-altercation impetus.
Wuth Butler himself saying that he would be open to playing anywhere not named Miami, this gives Philadelphia some cue to perhaps explore moving the needle toward an unexpected reunion. He may not have had the most gracious of exits when he was in Philly, but it’s been more than half a decade, and the franchise’s dynamics have changed a great deal since then.
The 76ers now have little to no competition for Jimmy Butler as Warriors pull out of the race
The Warriors were constantly rumored to be in the mix, if not the favorite to eventually make a move for Butler, but it appears that Golden State had just conceded the race. Currently middling in the West, they need another star to maximize Steph Curry as long as possible, but that’s now unlikely to come from South Beach.
According to The Athletic, the Warriors are now unlikely to trade for Butler as they would prefer to keep Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga instead. The Heat were previously rumored to be eyeing Kuminga in any return package from the Dubs, but Golden State is clearly valuing the young forward a lot, especially given how he’s played this season.
Basically, the 76ers now have a clear path toward Butler. The front office can compensate Miami by sending Paul George who, despite a slow start this season, is perfect for their plan to remain competitive and not bottom out, and adding draft compensation to incentivize the Heat even more.
Meanwhile, the other teams with the ability to trade for Butler are perhaps too young (San Antonio), too solid with their current core (Houston) or simply incapable of trotting out a sensible return package (Phoenix). Hence, Philadelphia is now arguably the top dog when it comes to Butler.