The Philadelphia 76ers have their eyes set on a reunion with Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler.
The Sixers are prepared to offer the 34-year-old a maximum extension if they land him in a trade this offseason, sources told the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey.
Butler has one year left on his contract with Miami valued at $48.7 million, followed by a $52.4-million player option.
He’s seeking a two-year extension worth $113 million this offseason and is expected to opt out of his player option, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.
His preference would be to stay with the Heat, but Butler could become a free agent after the 2024-25 season and look for a max contract elsewhere, per Chiang.
Heat president Pat Riley recently said he’s not interested in parting ways with the six-time All-Star. However, Riley criticized Butler for trash-talking despite missing Miami’s Round 1 loss to the Boston Celtics due to injury.
Butler is Philadelphia’s backup choice if it can’t land Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George in free agency, according to Pompey. George has a $48-million player option with L.A.
Sixers president Daryl Morey will also need to figure out a deal with point guard Tyrese Maxey, who’s set to become a restricted free agent this offseason.
Philadelphia will have nearly $60 million in cap space and up to five tradable first-round selections come draft night, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Butler played 55 games for Philadelphia during the 2018-19 season, averaging 18.2 points and four assists per contest. That squad lost to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors in Game 7 of the second round.
The Sixers went 47-35 this season and finished seventh in the Eastern Conference despite former MVP Joel Embiid only appearing in 39 regular-season games due to injury.
