Give and Go: The Case for and Against Jimmy Butler

This Jimmy Butler point-counterpoint initially ran Oct. 30, 10 days before the Sixers acquired him from the Timberwolves.

On his most recent podcast, ESPN's Zach Lowe had Adrian Wojnarowski on and of course, the possibility of a Jimmy Butler-to-Sixers deal was brought up.

Running the Give and Go on the Butler debate are NBC Sports Philadelphia's Paul Hudrick and Corey Seidman.

Hudrick

As I've mentioned several times on this site - four times to be exact - I'm out on Butler coming to the Sixers.

He's not a fit on or off the court. He's 29 and will be 30 by the time the max deal he covets kicks in. He scores the majority of his points in isolation which doesn't jive with Brett Brown's philosophy of pace and space. He's shooting 48 percent from three this season, but over the course of his career, he hasn't been an elite three-point shooter. 

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Then there's all the off-the-court noise. He had issues with Derrick Rose in Chicago. Now he's feuding with the Timberwolves' young players. Minnesota actually canceled a practice and media availability because of Butler's antics. Sure, a change of scenario would help, but for how long?

There's no denying what Butler brings to the table. He's one of the best two-way players in the entire league. He can create his own offense, something the Sixers desperately need. Plus, as Woj and Lowe alluded to, the Sixers will likely have better luck adding a star through a trade than free agency.

But my argument is that stars shake free all the time. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, DeMarcus Cousins and Blake Griffin have all been moved over the past couple seasons. Now, Butler is very likely on the move so I'm not buying this as some sort of "last chance" for the Sixers to acquire a star.

They have two star players under the age of 25. Wait for the right opportunity.

Seidman

It's laughable to me that anyone would be definitively out on the Sixers acquiring Jimmy Butler. Context matters.

Klay Thompson is expected to remain in Golden State. Kevin Durant is expected to be either a Warrior or Knick next season. If Leonard doesn't fall in love with Toronto, all signs point to the Clippers. Khris Middleton, as pointed out by Woj and Zach Lowe, is expected to re-up with the Bucks.

If the Sixers don't get any of them, then what? Then you're nearing a point in which Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons have already gotten paid and no max contract slot for a free agent is left. That's a major possibility the Sixers must avoid at all costs.

Butler may not be a perfect fit in the eyes of some. Neither was LeBron.

With Butler, I think more about his late-game clutch shooting/driving and killer instinct. I think about a completely bonkers defensive unit of Simmons-Butler-Covington-Embiid.

If it costs the Sixers Markelle Fultz, Dario Saric and one of their own future picks (late first-rounder), I'm doing the deal. T-Wolves coach/GM Tom Thibodeau is interested in keeping his job so an offer of NBA-ready players would appeal more than the Rockets' offer of four first-round picks in the 25-30 range.

If not, who exactly is the next trade candidate? The Sixers aren't getting Anthony Davis. The Celtics can outbid them at any moment they so choose.

Butler is not an A+ fit. An A- fit works just fine. Also find it hard to believe he'd act out in his next city after watching the strange, surly reputation he's built.

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