Jimmy Butler Reacts to Sixers' James Harden Acquisition

All season long, the Philadelphia 76ers had a significant absence. As the three-time All-Star guard Ben Simmons was disgruntled and holding out for a trade, Joel Embiid and the Sixers had to step up and avoid the distractions that Simmons' absence brought in order to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference.

Embiid's MVP-caliber play kept the Sixers alive and thriving. And eventually, Daryl Morey's patience in the Ben Simmons saga paid off ahead of the 2022 NBA trade deadline. As Morey held onto Simmons for months hoping that another disgruntled star would become available, he eventually realized he had a shot at landing James Harden.

At first, the Brooklyn Nets showed a lot of resistance in moving Harden ahead of the deadline. But as Harden made it clear he wanted out and had no intentions of re-signing with the Nets in the upcoming offseason, Brooklyn bit the bullet and gained some value for him now rather than losing him for nothing later.

Philadelphia sent Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two draft picks Brooklyn's way. In return, the 76ers landed the ten-time All-Star and former MVP James Harden along with the veteran former All-Star, Paul Millsap.

A Rival Reacts

Jimmy Butler, a former Sixers member and current leader for Philly's direct competitor, the Miami Heat, reacted to the trade during this past weekend in Cleveland, Ohio. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer's Gina Mizell, Butler is happy to see the Sixers land another star to pair up with one of his good friends, Joel Embiid.

“If [Harden is] happy there, then that’s where I want him to be,” Butler said. “He’s with one of my best friends in Joel, and they got a really good team. I can’t wait to go up against them and see what we’re made of.”

Butler's been in the same position as Harden in the past. As he grew disgruntled with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2018-2019, he was moved to Philly while on the final year of his contract.

Joel Embiid and Jimmy Butler developed a strong on-court chemistry. Unfortunately, other factors led to Butler's desire to jump ship and land with the Heat. While Butler would've liked to continue building with Embiid on the court, he's happy to see Harden give it a shot, and he looks forward to facing the revamped Sixers on March 5.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.