Report: Sixers Had A Meeting Scheduled With Jimmy Butler
By Ray Boyd
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The draft has been the focus for the Sixers over the last few off-seasons, but a report on Tuesday indicates that the Sixers may be entering the free agency part of the rebuild.
According to an ESPN report, the Sixers are among the teams on the list of suitors for Bulls free agent guard Jimmy Butler. The report indicated that Butler received a contract offer from the Bulls on Monday and as a result he postponed scheduled meetings with several other teams.
The teams that Butler was reportedly scheduled to meet with were the Lakers, Celtics, Mavericks and the Sixers.
It is safe to say the Sixers would probably be a long shot to land Butler's services following his break out season in Chicago. Butler, 25, averaged 20.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game and served as the Bulls primary scoring threat for much of the season as Derrick Rose dealt with injuries.
Butler won the league's Most Improved Player Award in 2015, was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team for a second straight season and was named an All-Star for the first time.
Butler shot just under 38 percent from beyond the arc and once again proved to be an elite NBA defender. Both qualities are very important to the Sixers and that fact coupled with Butler's age and size show exactly why the Sixers might be interested.
