Joel Embiid has opened up about who he wanted to join the Philadelphia 76ers last summer. While the team management closed the deal on Paul George, Embiid had a specific player in mind. He is none other than the six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler. As the two stalwarts have previously played together, Embiid seems to have known what exactly Butler would have brought to the table. However, while that did not happen, Embiid was reportedly unhappy.
In a recent revelation, Vincent Goodwill from Yahoo Sports unearthed the news about Joel Embiid. “He wanted Jimmy Butler. He told the 76ers, ‘Go get my guy’… I don’t think Joel Embiid has been happy, even though they wound up getting Paul George. He wanted Jimmy Butler back over there,” said Goodwill.
“He wanted Jimmy Butler. He told the 76ers, ‘Go get my guy’… I don’t think Joel Embiid has been happy even though they wound up getting Paul George. He wanted Jimmy Butler back over there.” 👀
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 21, 2024
— @VinceGoodwillhttps://t.co/q1sB43ZLJ1
Unfortunately, the 76ers, who were looking for a drastic change in performance, failed miserably. Starting their journey with a couple of losses, the Philadelphia outfit has now lost 12 of their last 14 matches this season! While this was not enough, their recent recruitment, Paul George, has not performed up to the expectations as well.
George has averaged only 14.9 points per game with 5.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Now, while Embiid had called for Butler earlier, let us see how he once impacted the team when he donned the 76ers jersey.
Jimmy Butler’s Run In Philadelphia 76ers’ Jersey
In 2018-19, Jimmy Butler came to Philadelphia via an early-season trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Having played 55 games for the 76ers, he had decent statistics to show off. Butler had an average of 18.2 points per game, 4.0 assists, and 5.3 rebounds. He also had a shooting percentage of 46.1%.
JIMMY BUTLER TONIGHT:
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 19, 2024
30 POINTS
10 REBOUNDS
5 ASSISTS
0 TURNOVERS
8/12 FG
COOKED THE SIXERS. pic.twitter.com/96D7UoWNBz
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However, it was in the playoffs that Butler showed his true colors. He averaged 19.4 points per game with 4.2 assists and 6.0 rebounds. He led the way in helping the 76ers reach the conference semifinals, which turned out to be one of the best seasons for the Philadelphia outfit. Moving on, Butler has now become a star for the Miami Heat, leading them to two NBA finals.
Also Read: Philadelphia 76ers Get Brutal Injury Update On Joel Embiid
