USA TODAY International Edition
76ers owner Harris ‘impressed’ with Butler
In the final seconds of Philadelphia’s 122-119 overtime road victory against Charlotte, All-Star Jimmy Butler blocked Kemba Walker’s shot, saved the ball from going out of bounds and hit the winning three-pointer with 0.3 seconds left.
It happened in a 20-second sequence Saturday, and that it is why the Sixers acquired Butler in a trade with Minnesota. It was his defense and shot-making on display in a huge moment.
“We’ve been saying since the summer we’ve been looking for another star and we felt we needed another shooter, a three-and-D wing, someone like Jimmy,” Sixers owner Josh Harris told USA TODAY. “They’re hard to find at this elite level. We know who we have to get through to win the East. It’s obvious who it is. We think this is a piece we needed. It gives us three top-20 players. It positions us to ultimately to win a championship and go deeper into the playoffs this season.”
The Sixers showed interest in trading for Butler right after it became public Butler wanted out of Minnesota. Philadelphia’s initial trade offer was turned down, with the Timberwolves’ counteroffer asking for another starter beside Dario Saric, Robert Covington and Jerryd Bayless.
But the Sixers’ Elton Brand, who is in his first season as an NBA general manager, never ruled out re-engaging with Minnesota, and when the timing was right, the teams made the trade. He has won over ownership.
“He knows the players, and he knows how they think and how to motivate them. He’s a leader. He’s very well respected around the league,” Harris said. “When you’re doing a trade like this, (Timberwolves general manager) Scott Layden or whoever is calling him back, they want to engage with him and he’s able to use those relationships to have a dialogue that allows you to do something like this.”
While Brand handled trade talks with Minnesota’s front office, namely Layden, Harris discussed the deal with Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, who got involved to make sure Minnesota got a deal done.
It’s just three games, but Butler is averaging 19 points and shooting 57.9 percent from the field and 42.9 percent on three-pointers.
With Butler on the court, the Sixers score 111.7 points per 100 possessions, up from their season average of 106.7 points per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com/stats.
He adds versatility to the offense. As The Washington Post pointed out, the Sixers run a lot of dribble handoff plays while Minnesota used a lot of pick-and-rolls. Butler can operate in both sets.
While the Sixers are working through defensive issues after the trade, Butler’s defense should make the Sixers better on that end. Being able to guard a point guard such as Walker one night and a shooting guard such as Devin Booker the next game is significant.
“I’ve spent a decent amount of time with Jimmy,” Harris said. “He’s incredibly hard working. He’s disciplined. He wants to win. He’s a veteran presence. He knows what it takes to win. I’ve been incredibly impressed with him in the short time he’s been around the team and around me.
“I’m really optimistic about our future. I’m trying not to get ahead of myself.”