Jimmy Butler Trade Made Official

According to a Sixers press release, the team has officially acquired Jimmy Butler and Justin Patton from the Minnesota Timberwolves:

PHILADELPHIA – NOV. 12, 2018 – Philadelphia 76ers General Manager Elton Brand announced today that the team has acquired four-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Philadelphia also received Justin Patton in the deal, while Minnesota received Jerryd Bayless, Robert Covington, Dario Šarić and a 2022 second-round draft pick in exchange for Butler and Patton.

“We have a championship window that’s centered around the continued progression of our talented young core, as well as our ability to add elite players who elevate our program,” Brand said. “In Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, we have two of the NBA’s top 20 players. Now, we’ve added a third top-20 player in Jimmy Butler, who is one of the NBA’s very best on both ends of the floor. This move further strengthens our pursuit of a championship and gives us a formidable combination to take on the league’s top teams.

“With this trade, we’re also excited to welcome Justin to the organization and look forward to his contributions in the coming months. I want to thank Cov, Dario and Jerryd for all they did for this team. They are friends, former teammates and well respected in our locker room. We’ll miss them, but I’m confident they’ll continue to excel in their careers.”

Butler will play his first game as a Sixers Wednesday, against the Orlando Magic.