Will Jimmy Butler’s headstrong reputation limit his free-agent market this summer?
In mid-May, Philadelphia 76ers swingman Jimmy Butler expressed confidence in his ability to land a massive payday this summer.
“Technically, I think, knock on wood, I’ll get a max contract anywhere I choose to go,” the four-time All-Star told reporters following the Sixers’ second-round playoff loss to the Toronto Raptors. “So if you’re talking a four-year, five-year, that’s more than enough money anyway.”
However, his free-agent market may be somewhat more tepid than he expects.
In a late March Q&A, The Athletic’s Sam Amick said the Los Angeles Clippers’ interest in signing Butler is “slim to none.” Arash Markazi of the Los Angeles Times recently backed that up, telling Colin Cowherd of FS1: “The Clippers, from what I’ve been told, do not want to sign him” since “they think they’re gonna have a big summer.”
The Dallas Mavericks also reportedly don’t plan to pursue Butler, according to Mike Fisher of 247Sports, because they feel as though “he would not pair well with [Luka] Doncic, that he wouldn’t share well, that he wouldn’t ‘play nice with others.’”
Even if the Clippers and Mavericks are out of the race for Butler before it officially begins, desperation will push other suitors into the mix.
Based on need, salary-cap space and recent reporting, the following five teams stand out as Butler’s most likely free-agent destinations.