[Stein] I’m told that Minnesota’s talks with the Heat largely collapsed when Thibodeau asked for a $5 million cash infusion from Miami as part of a deal that would have sent Richardson, Kelly Olynyk and a future first-rounder to the Wolves for Butler.
Either of those better than what they got smh. Minny a whole mess of stpid people making dumb decisions np womder their team is a mess.
I think Philly's package was the best for Minnesota. Covington is one of the best 3&D wings and on a reasonable contract, while Šarić is better player than shown in Philly. He is a very solid pointforward, but couldn't showcase his skills alongside Simmons. I honestly think Philly lost this trade. Not because Jimmy isn't as good as Covington and Šarić combined, but because PHilly lost too much shooting.
Balanced trade I think...... shooters are easier to find than someone who can come up clutch in the playoffs. Plus the veteran leadership on a young team. Jimmy has a lot work cut out for him though. Embiid and Simmons are very good pieces but not the most clutch players just yet.
If you look at this season only, it is debatable. If you consider the longer term where the Sixers can re-sign Jimmy plus another max player next summer, it's a clear win for them. The Sixers were not contenders this year. They were clearly inferior to the Raptors, Bucks and Celts before the trade and probably remain that way. The main concern for them is the personality fit of Jimmy Butler. They can acquire outside shooting at the trade deadline and next summer.
Sixers' Joel Embiid: Recent usage as stretch-5 'really frustrates me' Friday night's victory over the Detroit Pistons pushed the Philadelphia 76ers' record to 18-9, good for second place in the NBA's Eastern Conference. But not every Sixers player is pleased with his role. Joel Embiid, who missed his first game of the season Friday to rest, told reporters that he feels like his offense has taken a hit since the team acquired All-Star Jimmy Butler in the blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves last month. "I haven't been myself lately," Embiid told Philly.com. "I think it's mainly because of the way I've been used, which is I'm being used as a spacer, I guess, a stretch-5, which I'm only shooting [29] percent" from 3-point range. "But it seems like the past couple games, like with the way I play, our setup, [coach Brett Brown] always has me starting on the perimeter ... and it just really frustrates me." Embiid, 24, is averaging 34.3 minutes per game, four more than in 2017-18. But he said rest isn't what he needs. "My body feels great, and it's just I haven't been playing well," he said. The numbers say as much. Since the Butler trade in November, many of Embiid's offensive stats -- including points per game (28.2 to 23.8), field goal percentage (48.4 to 43.1) and 3-point percentage (30.2 to 27.3) -- have taken hits. He is going to the free throw line less, and in his past three games, he has made just 14 of 42 shots from the field, including 1 of 9 attempts from 3-point range. Embiid said he would rather spend more time near the rim, but that's difficult with Butler, who also likes to attack the basket. "We sometimes have to space the floor," Embiid told Philly.com. "A lot of time, actually, with the way our plays are set up, I tend to spend a lot of time on the perimeter. So it's an adjustment." For his part, Brown didn't necessarily agree that the addition of Butler is the problem. "I don't want to connect those dots," the coach said. "But I think in general we all have to do better at creating space for Joel."
Which is why Butler would have fit perfectly in Houston's system because he could be the 1B to Harden's 1A in terms of scoring. And the defense is value add.
Would be funny if Jimmy ends up saying he's not staying there but he would like to come here, Gordon would be a great piece/fit for Phila...and they would trade him to the other conference, lol.
IMO Paul George is better, he does not moan about his touches as much as others. I get it, one is more off limits than the other.
Yup just as I expected, didn't think it was going to be this early, butler isn't going to last in philly for long, Embiid wants to be the only man and one else take the spotlight away from him.
It's not that hard. Give Embiid 2 quarters to dominate, and give Butler 1 quarter and a half to do his thang.
