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Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers: Jimmy Butler has already run Hassan Whiteside out of Miami

By Matty Breisch

(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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Jimmy Butler has only been a member of the Heat for hours, but he’s already kicked Hassan Whiteside out in the sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.

While it took two more teams and almost 20 additional hours to iron out the details, Josh Richardson is officially a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, and Jimmy Butler finally has his own team in South Beach with the Miami Heat.

That’s right, despite only being with the Heat for literally hours at this point, Butler has already driven one player out-of-town; ex-starting center Hassan Whiteside.

Now if you’ve been following free agency at all over the past few days one of the biggest jokes going around was how Butler would fit next to Whiteside, a player widely discredited is not being an all effort guy.

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Kevin O’Connor from The Ringer went so far as to suggest that Butler would eat all of the prized fish out of Whiteside’s larger-than-life tank, an evocative image that you may never be able to unsee.

But fortunately for Whiteside (and his fish), unless Butler takes a cross-country flight to the Pacific North West that’s not going to be the case, as the seventh-year center will officially be joining the Portland Trail Blazers as their starting center until Jusuf Nurkic returns from his last season knee injury.

Is this that big of a story? Well no, the Heat might actually be better off without Whiteside, as soon-to-be third-year center Bam Adebayo can now ascend into a starting role but still, it’s a bit comical that Butler is already making his mark on his new franchise without even being on the roster yet.

And as for the Sixers?

Well, I think it’s pretty safe to say that this four-team sign-and-trade deal is the best four-team sign-and-trade the 76ers have been a part of over the last decade; as it will certainly rank higher than their ill-fated move to acquire Andrew Bynum back in 2012 (unless he decides to take up bowling).

And as for Butler, well, he got exactly what you wanted: his own team.

Though reports have started to trickle out that the 76ers did ultimately offer Butler the full five-year, $190 million max; it’s clear Butler had virtually no interest in being anything but the top option on a team, even if it ultimately compromises his long-term potential to win a championship.

And that’s fine.

Next. Josh Richardson is like Redick and Butler combined. dark

Everybody wants different things, and by essentially flipping Jimmy Butler for Josh Richardson and Al Horford, the Philadelphia 76ers have added two players who genuinely want to be here and will help the team have a more harmonious and cohesive 2019-20 season for less money. Talk about a win-win.