When the definitive history of the Process-Era Philadelphia 76ers is written someday, there will be many moments and decisions to revisit. Without the benefit of hindsight yet, it's impossible to know which were the most consequential.
But it's impossible to watch what Jimmy Butler did to the Sixers Tuesday night in the Miami Heat's 120-85 win in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals and not wonder how different the NBA might look had the Sixers chosen to retain Butler in the summer of 2019.
The Sixers had traded for Butler the previous fall after he'd lost faith and basically snarled his way out of Minnesota in the hopes his competitive spirit and veteran savvy would help take their young superstar duo of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid to the next level.