Because of both his suspension and trade request from the Miami Heat, Jimmy Butler has become a hot topic for the past several days.
The Philadelphia 76ers could get involved because they tried to get him back during the offseason. A reunion made sense at the time because of his brief time with the team and their playoff success together in 2019. Still, no reports indicate they have any current interest in a reunion.
One possible option is the Los Angeles Clippers that could use Butler to fill the void left by Paul George. This would unite Butler with fellow Sixers alum James Harden. FanSided proposed the following trade between the Heat and Clippers involving multiple Sixers alumni that could make such a reunion happen.
Clippers receive: Butler, Josh Richardson
Heat receive: Norman Powell, PJ Tucker, Terance Mann, Derrick Jones Jr., 2029 first-round pick.
Such a trade would make the Clippers more top-heavy, which might not be good for them. They want to take advantage they have left with Kawhi Leonard, but there’s no telling if Butler would mesh with them.
If the Clippers didn’t want to keep Paul George, they may not want to acquire Butler
It was well-documented that George wanted to stay with the Clippers last offseason, but because they weren’t willing to offer him the money he wanted, he bolted for Philadelphia because they were.
The Clippers did that because they didn’t think keeping George was worth risking going into the NBA’s second tax apron.
Butler’s contract is very expensive and would cost a lot of depth to make a trade work. He also wants a new deal after the season’s over. Giving him the contract he wants could get them in the second apron they’ve avoided. There’s also no telling if he and Harden would get along.
The Clippers will likely go after some help before the trade deadline, but going after the Sixers alum might not be the move they want to make.
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