The Philadelphia 76ers want to make things right with one of their former All-Stars. According to 76ers insider Keith Pompey, the franchise regrets its decision not to pay Butler the full max back in 2019.
“Talking to my sources, the 76ers’ ownership group — they kinda regret what they did five years ago [in trading Jimmy Butler] and they see the success that he’s had,” wrote Pompey. “And they realize he could be in their eyes, the missing piece, and they’re willing to give him the money he wants.”
Butler, a 6x All-Star and 5x All-NBA player, is the face of the Miami Heat. He turns 35 in September and has a player option for the 2025-26 season. Jimmy has said before that he wants to retire with the Heat but there have been rumblings that they could be headed for divorce after just five years.
Of course, we already know that the 76ers are willing to offer Butler a full max contract in the event that he forces his way out of the Heat this summer, but they had a chance to keep him back when he was on the team with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.
That year, the 76ers finished third in the East while Butler averaged 18.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game on 46% shooting. He was their second-best player for much of the season and his veteran presence helped bring some maturity and stability in the locker room.
But after clashing with some members of the organization, Butler was considered expendable by the franchise and they elected to let him go in the summer so they could re-sign Tobias Harris to a five-year, $180 million deal.
In the years that followed, the 76ers have cycled through multiple stars, and none of them have achieved the desired results. This summer, with James Harden gone and the team left searching for answers, they are once again hoping that Butler can come and save the day.
For now, Jimmy is likely to stay with the Heat until he retires but if they decide to move in another direction, you can bet the 76ers will be ready to make amends for their mistake.
Philadelphia 76ers Want To Build A New Big Three
As wild as recent history has been for the 76ers, they didn’t come out of this stretch completely empty-handed. Almost by accident, they had their second star when Tyrese Maxey emerged as a legitimate secondary option behind Joel Embiid. But even with Maxey and Embiid, who were one of the best duos in basketball this season, they couldn’t get past the first round.
As Embiid gets older and the window tightens, the 76ers are growing increasingly desperate for a championship and they could resort to assembling a superteam this summer if they get the chance.
With Butler, Embiid, and Jimmy Butler, the 76ers would be tapped as the biggest challenge to the Boston Celtics in the East and they’d be widely feared across the NBA. If not Butler, the 76ers will be in the running for other NBA All-Stars as well, including Donovan Mitchell, Paul George, and even potentially LeBron James if they decide to sign his son.
For now, it’s just wishful thinking for the 76ers. As much as they’d like to take back their decision not to pay Butler in 2019, there’s no undoing that choice and it may have cost them the chance to develop a championship-level team. Only time will tell what Daryl Morey can pull off but he’ll have his work cut out for him this summer.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.
