The free market is about to open on Sunday, US time. According to ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, the Houston Rockets' first choice in the summer is to recruit All-Star Jimmy Butler to Texas through a sign-and-trade method to join the team. All-Star James Harden and Chris Paul form the "Big Three" to once again challenge for the Western Conference title in the new season.
Further reading:3 reasons why the Philadelphia 76ers shouldn’t re-sign Jimmy Butler to the max
However, the Rockets, with their cap space already stuck, cannot sign Butler alone, who is seeking a maximum salary, so they must look to the Sixers to complete the operation. In order to win the Eastern Conference championship last time, the Sixers did not hesitate to package their two main players, Dario Saric and Robert Covington, and trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves for Jimmy Butler. Butler will become a free agent after the season. If he signs with another team, Philadelphia will lose its bargaining chip but only get Butler's half-season rights. The Rockets are planning to reach a "sign-and-trade" with the Sixers in order to reasonably absorb Butler's maximum salary.
According to sources, the Sixers are actively pursuing the possibility of signing a new contract with Butler, and are likely to offer a five-year, $190 million silver bullet as soon as the free market opens; or they can also reach a deal. Four-year, $146.5 million agreement.
If he wants to go to the Rockets to join the Western Conference melee, Butler can renew his contract with a four-year contract worth 140 million yuan and perform a sign-and-trade; however, the cost of the Rockets forming the Big Three is that the following players must be included in the package - Center Clint Capela, guard Eric Gordon, forward P.J. Tucker — at least two of them, and the balance of the salary in the deal.
The Sixers will face whether to deal with Butler and Butler this offseason.Tobias Harris as well as JJ Redick The dilemma of contract renewal. Generally speaking, outsiders expect them to keep Butler, otherwise last season's trade will be in vain; however, in addition to cooperating with the Rockets, they may also make the deal bigger and bring in a third team to acquire the Rockets' player assets. If they really intend to give up on extending Butler's contract and prefer to keep the other two players, the Sixers may still abandon this "sign-and-trade" proposal to maintain the flexibility of the team's salary.
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Reference for compiling this article:Sources: Rockets eyeing sign-and-trade for Butler
