Jimmy Butler had an excellent night against the Philadelphia 76ers. After leading the Miami Heat to a 106-89 drubbing against his former team, Butler took some shots at the 76ers, pointing at and mocking them and telling them to go home. Butler clearly hasn’t forgotten about his exit from the franchise five years ago.
"Go home" 😂💀 pic.twitter.com/bX7kIUWJPi
— HEAT on FanDuel Sports Network (@FanDuelSN_Heat) November 19, 2024
Butler was absolutely brilliant tonight, putting up 30 points (8-12 FG), 10 rebounds, five assists, and one steal. He led the game in scoring and made sure that the Heat were able to win the game, despite the rest of his teammates having an inefficient night on the field.
Jimmy Butler’s history with the 76ers is well-known. He played for the 76ers for one season and performed quite well during his tenure with them. He put up 18.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.1% from the field, 33.8% from deep, and 86.8% from the free-throw line.
However, the 76ers were toppled in a legendary seven-game series by the eventual champions Toronto Raptors. Butler would then leave the 76ers and join the Miami Heat in a sign-and-trade after the franchise prioritized paying and signing Tobias Harris over him.
Butler has held on to the snub from the 76ers for quite some time. During the 2023 NBA playoffs, after defeating the 76ers to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, Butler was heard audibly yelling about the franchise choosing Tobias Harris over him.
Joel Embiid however, still holds Butler in high regard. Speaking after the game, Embiid praised Butler, calling him one of, if not the best player in the NBA.
“Jimmy just does everything. Scoring, passing the ball, and commanding while being on both sides of the floor. One of the best players in the league. Probably top five. Probably the best actually. Best player in the league… Amazing basketball player.”
There is no denying that Butler has found more success than the 76ers since the two sides went their separate ways.
Jimmy Butler Could Be On The Move Soon
Despite the big win, Jimmy Butler’s future with the Miami Heat is far from certain. The Heat are struggling this season, with a poor record of 6-11 so far. Butler, who has shown that he can still be one of the best performers in the NBA playoffs regularly, might not get the chance to even see the postseason if things keep going this way.
Butler has been playing decently this season, averaging 17.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game. Butler has been shooting well from the field with 50.0%, 21.4% from three, and 78.3% of his free throws.
But that hasn’t been enough to elevate the Miami Heat this season, as they currently sit fifth in the East, probably because other teams have been performing much worse than them. Butler has criticized the Heat for their poor start, claiming that they need to be mentally stronger going forward.
Butler is currently in the final year of a three-year, $146 million contract. However, he does have a player option he can take that pays him $52 million next season. The Heat might not want to hold on to him if they can’t stay competitive, and might cash in on his value to land some valuable assets.
The Nets are currently the betting favorites to land Jimmy Butler in a trade. Given that the team is also in a rebuild, they might not want to give up their assets to land a 35-year-old superstar who doesn’t have much time left as a high-level performer. But he can play a positive veteran role for them if they’re able to draft high next year.
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