Grade the Trade: Heat give up Jimmy Butler in multi-team for new star
By Brennan Sims
Why the Philadelphia 76ers would do this
We've seen the Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid movie before. 2019 was Embiid's best shot at a conference finals appearance, as the Sixers trotted out lineups full of star power surrounding the two alphas. Pairing them together again would signal two things. The Sixers are going all in to capitalize on Embiid's talents and move into championship-or-bust mode.
A move like this is putting all your chips on the table. If this roster plus Jimmy Butler can't get it done in the postseason, then it would be time to play this whole thing up in Philly. This isn't 2019, though, as Philly has a budding superstar in Tyrese Maxey. Maxey averaged 30 points and seven assists while shooting 40% on nine 3-point attempts per game in the postseason. He's arrived; adding Butler to the party shows how serious the franchise is.
Trade grade for the 76ers: A