Getty Philadelphia 76ers guard Jimmy Butler
If the Jimmy Butler drama swirling around the Philadelphia 76ers currently wasn’t quite intriguing enough, there’s now another twist to the action. While much has been made about the situation involving Butler and head coach Brett Brown, it’s led to the All-Star’s future with the team coming into question.
And to take it one step further, Butler has apparently kept his eye on sunny California throughout the process, or at least his sights have been set in that direction recently. As Heavy.com’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson first reported, the Sixers star has a desire to play with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Even beyond that, Robinson reveals a source told him that Butler “would love” to team up with Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard in Los Angeles.
Jimmy Butler Incident With Brett Brown
It’s unknown if the rumored situation between Butler and the Sixers coach has anything to do with this latest bit of news. In case you missed it previously, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski reported Butler challenged Brown about his role in the offense and was “disrespectful.”
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Jimmy Butler has aggressively challenged coach Brett Brown on his role in the offense, complicating an already tenuous chemistry among the team’s Big 3 hierarchy, league sources told ESPN.
For what it’s worth, Brown was quick to shoot down any issue stemming from the incident, stating that he didn’t feel as though Butler crossed any line. The coach went on to reveal that he would “own it” if there was an argument, per Keith Pompey of the Philly Inquirer.
“I didn’t feel like any of that crossed the line,” Brown said. “And if it did, that would have been dealt with quickly. So people speculating about an argument or some type of aggressive disagreement — if it were, I would own it, and we would talk about it.
“I think from his standpoint, that is unfair.”
Sixers’ Play Since Jimmy Butler Trade
The former Minnesota Timberwolves guard has played in 23 games with his new team, missing five others. Over the stretch of games which he was on the floor for, the Sixers have posted a 16-7 record, including a stretch where they won eight of nine games almost immediately after the deal.
Butler’s numbers have dipped during his time in Philly, as he’s averaging 18.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Each of those numbers marks his lowest since the 2013-14 season with the Chicago Bulls, which was just his third year in the NBA.
The positive news is that Butler’s scoring and assist numbers have increased to start the calendar year. Through three games in January, he’s averaging 19.7 points with 6.7 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field.
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