Nope, Jimmy Butler was not on the roster for the Sixers’ visit to the American Airlines Arena yesterday. Even as the deal sending the four-time All-Star their way had already been approved by the National Basketball Association, a number of legitimate reasons prevented him from suiting up in their match against the Heat. Not coincidentally, the latter had also tried to pry him away from the Timberwolves, but sheer timing found him headed to the City of Brotherly Love instead of South Beach.
Significantly, the Sixers won without Butler, anyway. That they did so also without Robert Covington and Dario Saric, erstwhile vital cogs they had to give up to the Timberwolves, speaks volumes of their relative depth. Still, they will need him to be at his level best if they are to ensure their competitiveness for the remainder of the season. With the Raptors, Celtics, and Bucks crowding the top of the East, they have to get his partnership with resident stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons to work in order to keep up.
Admittedly, the Sixers took a risk in bidding goodbye to two-fifths of their starting lineup. And because Covington and Saric also happened to have been two of their three best perimeter shooters, they’ll face spacing concerns moving forward. The dynamic becomes especially complicated in the face of Butler’s mediocre numbers from three-point territory, not to mention predilection for taking midrange attempts. With Embiid crowding the paint and Simmons (and fellow sophomore Markelle Fultz) more likely to drive than launch from deep, their offensive efficiency is bound to suffer.
That said, the upside is simply too tremendous for the Sixers to ignore. For all their intentions to “trust the process,” they no doubt envisioned their ceiling and found it to be far from desirable, hence their decision to acquire Butler. Yes, he can be very, very good. Because he can likewise be very, very destructive, however, they understand the extent of their gamble, and will do all they have to in order to reap dividends and not compromise their future.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.
