While most of the Sixers‘ stars have struggled to approximate their regular season performances in the second round of the playoffs, Jimmy Butler has been perhaps the team’s best player, averaging 22.8 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 5.8 APG in four games against the Raptors. Butler’s play has earned him more praise from head coach Brett Brown, as Brian Seltzer of Sixers.com relays.
“I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again,” Brown said of Butler on Monday during a media conference call. “I think that how he approaches the game – there’s a physicality, there’s a passion, there’s a toughness – it mirrors the city of Philadelphia. It’s a perfect fit for the city. There’s a leadership that is growing for sure, and in this environment, we need it all.”
With the Sixers all tied up at 2-2, there’s a real possibility that their playoff run will extend another round or two. But if Philadelphia is eliminated within the next two or three games, it will create some fascinating offseason dilemmas for the club.
Butler and Tobias Harris are both facing unrestricted free agency at season’s end, and the widespread belief in recent months has been that Harris is the player more likely to receive a lucrative, long-term deal. That’s not to say that the 76ers aren’t seriously interested in re-signing Butler as well, but he has generally been viewed as the player more likely to head elsewhere — or at least the one less likely to receive a maximum salary offer from Philadelphia.
However, while Butler has been the Sixers’ most effective player against Toronto, Harris has struggled, averaging just 13.0 PPG on .339/.259/.750 shooting. In the club’s Game 4 loss, Harris attempted a team-high 23 shots, and made just seven, including 2-of-13 from three-point range.
The Sixers won’t make major free agency decisions based on players’ stats over a six- or seven-game stretch, but for a team with championship aspirations, playoff résumés are important. It will be interesting to see if – and how – Butler’s leadership during this series could impact the team’s thinking in the summer.
Simmons and Embiid are out partying the night before playoff games meanwhile Jimmy is flying in his personal trainer to get a better workout the day before game 4. I still dont think hes worth a max deal but hes on his way to tricking Brand into giving him one.
Keep Butler, start Simmons at the wings and play some “point forward”, add Kemba or John Wall. To have a legit chance of winning the championship, I think the Sixers need a veteran player like Walker or Wall.
Wall is already out next year
Archie Clark! The 76ers should have never traded Archie for Fred Carter and (ewww!) Kevin Loughery.
Free Agents clearly better than Jimmy.. KD, Kawhi. Just above is Klay, and Basically the same level Kyrie & Kemba.
Of those players, Kemba would be the only gettable player. Take the sure thing in Jimmy and Toby.
Kawhi n KD ain’t coming after Embiids embarrassing playoff series thus far. Klay ain’t leaving GSW. Kyrie is more likely to stop in Manhattan or Brooklyn or LAL before thinking Philly. Do I want a PG that can score but not guard anyone? Nah. Love him, but nah I’m okay without Kemba. At 14M I take him, not at max dollars.
Middleton, Russell, and Toby are on that next teir down. If I could, I would rather have DLo only bc he is a PG, hes an idiot off court but hes a solid scorer and young. But they can’t get anyone other than Toby if they keep Jimmy, so moot point.
The real article is what MLE do they get.