Jimmy Butler Turned Down Max Offer From Sixers to Sign with Heat

Jimmy Butler clearly wanted out of Philadelphia. He was so intent on escaping that he reportedly turned down a max offer before agreeing to sign with the Heat.

As reported by NBC Sports’ NBA Insider Tom Haberstroh, Butler turned down a five-year max offer from the Sixers to go to the Miami Heat.

The Heat will acquire Butler as part of a complicated four-team sign-and-trade with the Sixers, Heat, Clippers, and Blazers

Butler is expected to sign a four-year, $142 million deal with the Heat once the sign-and-trade is completed this weekend.

Butler was traded to the Sixers last season after spending the start of the year with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played a huge role in Philadelphia’s playoff run, where they took the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors the distance in the Eastern Conference Finals. He averaged 18.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, while shooting 33.8 percent from beyond the arc.

As part of the Butler deal, the Sixers are getting guard Josh Richardson, who will replace the departed J.J. Redick.

Richardson was the Miami’s best player last season and his arrival will allow Tobias Harris to move to small forward.