Jimmy Butler to the 76ers for Dario Saric and Robert Covington

Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
Minnesota has agreed to a deal to send Jimmy Butler to Philadelphia for a package that includes Robert Covington and Dario Saric, league sources tell @ZachLowe_NBA and me.

Minnesota will also trade Justin Patton and acquire a second round pick in the trade, league sources tell ESPN.

Jimmy Butler and the Sixers fully expect to reach a deal on a long-term contract this summer, league sources tell ESPN. Sixers made deal with plans to add Butler to a Big Three with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

What a steal for Philly. They didn't have to give up any top players. Thibs should have taken that Miami deal

Great deal for the 76ers on paper, but how long with Butler be happy there? I doubt he'll be the number one option/leader there.

Simmons & Embiid > Wiggins & Towns for me. I think he will make a nice Big 3 and we can give the Sixers homecourt advantage in first round.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2524 ... r-saga-nba

Thibodeau sold Taylor on passing on a strong Miami trade package, because he was sure Pat Riley would come back with a better offer, and the league would chase in a bidding frenzy for Butler.

Taylor kept doubling down, and when he hung up the phone with Philadelphia owner Josh Harris on Saturday morning, Minnesota had lost everything -- the four-time All-Star in his prime, the trade standoff, and ultimately, the trust to stay with Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden beyond this season.

Even at the expense of sullying his professional standing, Butler played them all in Minnesota -- and shamed the Timberwolves into trading him to a big market contender. The Timberwolves couldn't find a team to bail them out of this debacle, and Thibodeau couldn't sell Taylor on one more basketball game with Butler in a Timberwolves uniform.

Eventually, Thibodeau had lost hope that he could convince Butler to stay for the long term, but his ego still believed he could coach these Timberwolves into playoff contention before the February trade deadline. He underestimated this saga's impact on the rest of the team, especially his young max-contract players, as they watched Thibodeau excuse behavior and beg Butler to play games.

Minnesota desperately tried to cobble together trade offers in the past week, including extensive discussions with New Orleans, league sources said. The Pelicans are limited on tradeable assets, but desperate to find star power to keep Anthony Davis for the long run. The Pelicans wouldn't include point guard Jrue Holiday in its offer, nor multiple draft picks, league sources said.

Minnesota passed on a Miami deal weeks ago that would've included guard Josh Richardson, and the Heat never returned him into talks, sources said. Washington wouldn't offer guard Bradley Beal, sources said.

The Timberwolves lost any sense of leverage the moment Butler walked out of that practice and sat down with Rachel Nichols.

sounds like everyone had a hand in this one. i did think it was big undercut move when the owner overruled his GM/coach and told teams to contact him directly with offers

good deal talent wise for philly. not sure how butler fits but will be fun to watch it unfold

im very interested in too see how kat and wiggins play. both on max contracts and are both considered soft even with butler being an alpha ass. Thibs is coaching for his next gig too

Jimmy Butler after 76ers home debut: 'It's so much more fun to play with these guys'

“We did what we’re supposed to do. It’s so fun to win,” Butler said. “It’s so much more fun to play with these guys.”

Now, Butler simply could have meant that as a compliment to his new teammates. However, it’s no secret the Timberwolves and Butler had a massive string of issues this year that affected the rest of the organization.

Butler and the Timberwolves were in a rough standoff to start the season, ever since he made it clear he wanted to be traded just before training camp started. Even though the four-time All-Star insisted he wasn’t a distraction for Minnesota, many saw Butler as a bad influence on Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. One scout even said that Butler was the problem in Minnesota and when he was with the Chicago Bulls, and that “he’s really hard to play with.”

Stay classy, Jimmy.