Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler thrashes the Philadelphia 76ers for their decision to roll with Tobias Harris instead of keeping him on their roster.
And just like that, the playoffs hopes for a Sixers chip this year died along with Joel Embiid’s MVP opportunity.
A bitter week for Philadelphia fans to be sure, but it seems that someone else is holding onto a little bitterness from their own days in Philly: playoff phenom Jimmy Butler.
Butler has been on fire in the postseason, stacking up alongside some of the greatest Heat players to ever do it for the franchise. The Miami Herald even reported that statistically, Butler is the best NBA player in the postseason thus far. Legends like Dwayne Wade and LeBron James brought Miami back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013, and Butler is well on his way to doing the same with one of the East’s strongest teams remaining.
But Butler, who played for the 76ers during the 2018-19 season, wanted to be sure that Philadelphia didn’t forget that they chose to pay Tobias Harris $180 million over keeping Butler.
“Tobias Harris over me?” Butler asked incredulously as he walked to the locker room in triumph.
Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid wished they could have played together this series
Butler may be frustrated with the 76ers organization, but that doesn’t necessarily extend to the players. Well, Tobias Harris was caught up in the crossfire, but that’s a shot at the organization for getting rid of Butler.
When it comes to Sixers big man Joel Embiid, Butler still wishes they were teammates. He loves being with the Heat, but according to Butler, he also loves Embiid.
“I love him,” Butler told reporters. “I’m proud of him. Yes, yes, yes, I still wish I was on his team. I definitely love the Miami Heat though, I’m glad that I’m here, but I’ve got so much respect and love for Joel Embiid.”
The respect is mutual, and so is the desire to still play alongside one another. Embiid made it clear that he agrees with Butler, wishing they could still be playing together — and openly questioning why the 76ers made that impossible.
“I won’t sit here and say I didn’t wish he was my teammate,” Embiid said in a postgame press conference. “Still don’t know how we let him go, but I wish I could have gone to battle with him still.”
Ultimately, it looks like Jimmy Butler came out on top in regards to the 76ers’ decision to get rid of him — and he likely won’t ever let Philadelphia live that one down.