If there were any worries over Jimmy Butler meshing with the 76ers' locker room following his controversial trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves last month, they should be all out the window now.
Butler, who has had a tainted history where teammates and chemistry are concerned, appears to have settled into his new surroundings quite comfortably, proving that they don't call Philadelphia The City of Brotherly Love for nothing.
The Sixers are 8-2 since the guard's arrival and he has clearly formed a good relationship with his new colleagues, more so the ones who were doing all of the heavy lifting for the team.
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Joel Embiid had sought references ahead of Butler's trade becoming official, while Ben Simmons claimed to have good expectations. Fortunately for everyone involved (except Markelle Fultz), the transition was seamless, with the fiery two guard getting to work immediately.
Butler has already won two games for the Sixers in clutch situations, hitting identical game-winning threes against both the Charlotte Hornets and the Brooklyn Nets last month.
After beating the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday - the Grizzlies are actually one of the better sides in the Western Conference this season - Simmons was asked about his new teammate's impact and the improvements which have come along with it.
“I think we’re just getting better offensively and defensively. Defensively, we’ve picked it up. We’re getting better chemistry and trusting each other a lot more.” he said, per USA Today.
“Offensively, it’s similar. It’s not easy to get used to new players that quickly, but obviously, Jimmy he has played the game, he knows how to play the game the right way and he’s bought into our system. So, it’s been pretty quick to get better with him.”
What This Means
Both the Sixers and Timberwolves have improved since the trade. Robert Covington's defending has made it so that Butler's isn't even missed, while Karl-Anthony Towns finally appears to be playing to his full potential.
The Sixers, though, are likely to be the ones chasing glory come the end of the regular season; they might even go one better and win it all.