Butler officially joins 76ers, expected to make debut Wednesday vs. Magic
Jimmy Butler is in Philadelphia, and upon his arrival he immediately began talking about winning a championship.
“The Process” has a whole new meaning.
Butler, a four-time All-Star forward, now officially is a member of the 76ers, after they and the Minnesota Timberwolves received approval from the league office Monday on the terms of the trade that was agreed to over the weekend.
“He replicates, he mirrors, the spirit of Philadelphia,” 76ers coach Brett Brown said. “He is a fierce competitor. And there is a toughness that he plays with. That’s who he is. And he wears it on his face, it’s seen in his game, it’s confirmed by multiple all-defensive teams and it’s a perfect fit for the city and our program defensively.”
The deal gives Philadelphia a legitimate “Big Three,” with Butler joining All-Star forward Joel Embiid and reigning rookie of the year Ben Simmons on a team that already was expected to be an Eastern Conference contender this season. Butler flew into Philadelphia and told NBC Sports Philadelphia that fans should expect “a guy who wants to win.”
“We want a championship,” Butler said as he signed a couple of autographs before he was driven away from the airport. “And I think the core group of guys that we have will figure out a way to get it done.”
Butler and Justin Patton were traded to Philadelphia for Robert Covington, Dario Saric and Jerryd Bayless, along with a 2022 secondround draft pick. Butler and the 76ers will have a news conference Tuesday and he is expected to debut with his new club Wednesday at Orlando. Philadelphia was playing Monday night at Miami.
Bulls
Forward Lauri Markkanen is expected to miss more time than they initially anticipated because of a left elbow injury that occurred in the preseason. Coach Fred Hoiberg says Markkanen likely will wind up missing 911 weeks. The Bulls initially thought he would be out six to eight after he was hurt in practice in late September. Hoiberg says Markkanen still is experiencing some pain and is not shooting from long range. Speaking before a game Monday night against Dallas, he says the Bulls “need to make sure” Markkanen is 100 percent.
Lakers
LeBron James earned his 768th victory late Sunday night in Los Angeles’ 107-106 win against the visiting Atlanta Hawks. He overtook Reggie Miller on the NBA’s all-time victories list. James dunked for the winning basket with 15 seconds to go, and Tyson Chandler blocked Trae Young’s driving layup as time was running out to preserve the victory.