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Jimmy Butler is flawed. Even he would tell you that. He is a team leader in the past with his uncompromising personality, looks like a star in some offensive plans and has an extensive injury history.
Flaws and all, Butler is a player in the Sixers should be willing to commit a lot of money (up to the maximum of $ 190 million), and for a lot of years (up to five, competition demands it. Retaining Butler for a bargain would be better than giving $ 190 million, though, given the way he's boosted his stock in the postseason.
The concerns about Butler's locker room are in the context of his acrimonious exits from Chicago and Minnesota. All indications, however, are that he's formed with Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid and Brett Brown (see story). Butler has facilitated their growth as leaders.
Butler also appears to have genuine respect for his teammates. He had a lot of fun in Philadelphia as well, another element that was obviously missing with the Timberwolves.
"What hurts most about this loss?" Butler said at his exit interview Monday. "It was special. We enjoyed playing with each other. You could not mess with anybody on the team because somebody was always going to be there, in your face. But to think that this roster might not be the same next year, that's what really hurts. "
The worries about the heavy minutes Butler has logged and the injuries he is suffering are valid, too. However, it would be a burden to play 40 minutes every night alongside Simmons, Embiid and possibly, Tobias Harris. Butler averaged 33.2 minutes in his 55 regular-season games with the Sixers, his lowest since the 2012-13 season. The Sixers have the freedom to manage their backs to the best version of "Playoff Jimmy."
It is very possible that Butler's play would decline in the fourth and fifth year of a long-term contract. With the Sixers shooting for a title now, that's a sensible risk. If Butler can help lead the Sixers to a championship at 31 years old, the trade-off of him being expensive and diminished at 34 years old would be worth it.
As we expected when he first arrived, the on-court fit with Butler was not perfect. He prefers pick-and-rolls and isolations and thrives in those settings, while Brown had built his offensive system around ball and player movement. Butler often faded into the background of the first three quarters of a game, relegated to a passive role, before taking command in the fourth quarter.
Brown Butler, Butler and the Sixers finally identified and began to work. The potential of the Butler-Embiid pick-and-roll is huge, and it's been clear of their early days when dangerous Simmons and Butler can be in tandem when the Sixers push the ball.
Butler cleans up familiar weaknesses for the Sixers with perimeter defense and turnovers. His 6.9 turnover was the lowest of any Sixers regular. And, as "the adult in the room," he's one player you can depend on for tenacious effort. If the Sixers want to avoid the exasperating inconsistency we saw this season, the stability of retaining Butler and the impact of having a competitor like him can not hurt.
No, he does not have a spotless past, and there are legitimate questions about his future, but Butler's imperfections should not obscure his value. Elton Brand took a big risk in acquiring him, and he'd be smart to take another look at him.
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