76ers Reportedly Expected to Offer Jimmy Butler Max Contract

The Philadelphia may have entered the 2019 NBA Playoffs with the most talented starting lineup in basketball, but they exited facing some serious questions. Now that they're pivoting toward the summertime free agent frenzy, they've got major decisions to make about the likes of Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris, who will surely demand serious mony on the open market.

And today, we got one big clue as to how Elton Brand and Co. are going to play this out. According to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst, the 76ers are likely to extend a max contract to the talented two-way wing.

Take from this what you will, as it sounds like these sources aren't from the Philly camp directly. But what Windy says usually goes.

Butler had himself a messy, bang-bang exit from Minnesota early in the 2018-19 season, seemingly doing everything in his power to inflame an already fraught situation and alienate himself however possible to hasten his inevitable departure. He fit in well with the 76ers -- guys who can score and defend on a reliable basis won't have much trouble with that no matter where they are -- but after the team fell short against the Raptors in the second round of the playoffs, his long-term future wasn't considered certain.

The 76ers may well be prioritizing Butler over Tobias Harris, who takes up similar space on the court. No team can re-sign every last star for the long haul, so keep an eye on Harris' camp as things heat up this summer.

Oh, and one day, they'll have to pay Ben Simmons, too. Ah. Yikes.