When news broke that Jimmy Butler would be heading back to the Eastern Conference by way of the Philadelphia 76ers, there were questions about his fit with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. The optimistic lens then, which holds true now, is that maximizing this trio’s offensive harmony would require creativity and adaptability from each star, along with head coach Brett Brown.
For a few weeks, concerns were quashed. Butler and Simmons formed a headband fraternity, Embiid’s dominance was intact, and the Sixers were winning. Then, Embiid expressed disdain with his usage as a floor-spacer — a sentiment he later walked back and explained was misconstrued.