Prior to free agent Jimmy Butler agreeing to a four-year, $148 million deal with the Miami Heat, he reportedly turned down a five-year, max deal from the Sixers, according to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice and Tom Haberstroh of NBC Sports.
The decision means that Butler reportedly turned down an extra year of security and $48 million to play for the Heat as opposed to returning to Philadelphia.
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For the Sixers, Butlers' decision might be a blessing in disguise. The 29-year old has had issues staying healthy throughout his career, and it is hard to imagine he would have been worth the max-salary the Sixers offered him in five years.
If the Sixers did indeed offer Butler the max, however, it shows how committed they were to running it back with the same roster as last season, a group that brought the NBA Champion Toronto Raptors to a Game 7, the only team to do so. There was some thought that the Sixers' ownership group wouldn't spend the money it would take to bring back Butler and Tobias Harris, but it appears they were willing to do just that.
This is based on my reporting, but also my own opinion — if Jimmy Butler was not able to get a max in Philly, it seems to me he would not have published a YouTube video tonight where he included he and his inner circle discussing he could have made the most money in Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/nhrYyKZtCW
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) July 1, 2019Instead of landing Butler, the Sixers handed Al Hoford a four-year deal worth over $100 million, which is arguably an overpay for the veteran center. Still, with Horford in the fold and Josh Richardson on his way from the Heat, the Sixers' roster appears to be in better shape than it would have been had Butler agreed to the five-year max.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
