It looks like Jimmy Buckets is heading to South Beach. After being beloved in Philadelphia, Jimmy Butler is taking his talents to join the Miami Heat. The Miami Heat completed a four-team trade that allows them to sign All-Star guard Jimmy Butler to a four-year, $142 million contract, according to ESPN on Monday.
The deal will include Josh Richardson to the 76ers, league sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/nWFrg00mtm
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2019
According to the details of the deal, the Heat are also trading center Hassan Whiteside and his expensive contact to the Portland Trail Blazers, swingman Josh Richardson to the Philadelphia 76ers and a protected 2023 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers to secure the salary cap flexibility to complete the sign-and-trade deal with the 76ers.
The Blazers acquired Whiteside for forwards Meyers Leonard and Maurice Harkless in the trade, sources said. Harkless and his $11 million expiring contract are headed to the Clippers in the deal, which is the reason the Clippers were able to extract the protected 2023 first-round pick.
Although, Jimmy Butler is a top player in the league and was a much sought-after free agent, this will be his fourth team in three years. Also, he’s gained a reputation for being difficulty to coaches and to his teammates.
He forced trades from the Chicago Bulls to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Then in a highly publicized way, Butler again forced his way-out of Minnesota where he was picked up by the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Jerryd Bayless, Robert Covington, Dario Šarić and a 2022 second-round draft pick.
He was the leader on the 76ers team that came within one game of going to the Eastern Conference Finals but Kawhi Leonard hit one of the greatest game-winners of all-time.
Many NBA insiders say that the front office for the 76ers were hesitant to offer Butler a max deal for 5 years due to his age and injury history. This opened the door for him to land in South Florida.
Butler is a four-time NBA All-Star, a four-time NBA All-Defensive Team honoree, and a two-time All-NBA Team honoree. In 2015, he was named the NBA Most Improved Player.
