The Philadelphia 76ers are 0-2 in 2025, yet they are not the focus of controversy in the league today. They are just a side character in the NBA’s biggest story: Jimmy Butler’s apparent trade request. Once a Sixers wing, now an unhappy camper once again, Butler is reportedly looking to move on from the Miami Heat.
According to a report by ESPN’s Shams Charania, Butler is not looking to head to a specific destination, just one that is not his current home. As Charania put it,
“Butler does not plan to furnish the Heat with a list of favored destinations, sources told ESPN. He is open to playing anywhere other than Miami and believes he can make any team a contender — no matter where he is moved. He does plan to take part in all team activities and do whatever the Heat ask of him during this process, sources said.”
This opened up an unending can of worms, as suddenly, an NBA star was instantly connected to more teams than ever at one point. There is no shortlist and no preferred teams; Butler simply wants to play somewhere he can be himself, and that will appreciate him. By that, I, of course, mean one that will pay him.
This brings us to Philadelphia, Butler’s former home before they “chose Tobias Harris” over the six-time All-Star. In truth, they actually chose Ben Simmons over Butler, though admittedly, that doesn’t sound much better.
Since they initially parted ways, Butler has never been far from the rumor mill in Philadelphia. Fans and even star Joel Embiid have made it known they wish Butler was still a Sixer. This past summer, as the Sixers were set to enter the offseason with a world of cap space and the hope of obtaining a star, Butler was once again connected to Philadelphia as he was consistently rebuffed by the Miami front office as he requested an extension.
As trade rumors began to grow for the moment, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey reported that the Sixers, should they miss out on Paul George in free agency and target Butler in his stead, would be willing to extend the six-time All-Star. This news came nearly a month after Heat president Pat Riley announced that Miami would not be trading Jimmy, but regardless of Riley’s intentions, it wouldn’t be the first time such a proclamation was made, only to be undermined later that year.
Ultimately, it did not matter as Philadelphia signed Paul George in free agency and acquired their third star. The Jimmy Butler rumblings had finally come to an end. That is until Butler’s reported trade request began to make headlines.
Not long after, Yahoo’s Vince Goodwill wrote about Butler’s complicated relationship with his correct team. In the piece, Goodwill discussed many different aspects of the ESPN report, including the connection to Philadelphia, acknowledging their offseason interest.
“Over the summer, Philadelphia tried to engage Miami on a Butler deal before agreeing to terms with George,” Goodwill wrote. “Joel Embiid wanted a reunion with Butler and pushed for it, according to sources who spoke to Yahoo Sports over the summer and recently.”
To get this right out of the way, it’s important to remember that Philadelphia’s past interest does not equate to current interest. While the season has not gone their way so far, and trades are likely on the horizon, one for a player the caliber of Butler would be a stretch.
Would Philadelphia welcome back Jimmy Butler? Surely, as would Embiid, but it’s regrettably not overly likely. The Sixers would have to trade Paul George to facilitate any deal. Furthermore, they would have to work within the confines of the NBA’s salary cap apron. The Sixers and the Heat are both past the NBA”s first apron, meaning they can receive no more than the salary they send out. A third team could help facilitate the deal or additional compensation, but that’s easier said than done.
Then there’s the question of whether the Sixers should even consider moving George to make a deal viable. While George has undoubtedly played well below expectations this season, the sample size is far too small to make a franchise-altering move like swapping him for Butler. There’s also no guarantee that Philadelphia would not have to add draft compensation to the deal, considering Butler’s level of player compared to George’s this season and the difference in the amount of money committed to the respective players.
For now, Philadelphia is far better off remaining committed to their current Big 3. It would be far too premature for the Sixers to break up a group that, even factoring in this current embarrassing losing streak, is coming off of a 10-5 record in their last 15 games.
