It should come as no surprise that Jimmy Butler has elected to decline his player option, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Once Kawhi Leonard eliminated the 76ers with a fade away that bounced around the rim seemingly forever, and Butler had survived the season without any catastrophic injuries, this was all but a foregone conclusion. Haynes’ piece notes that the Sixers have made it clear they intend to do all they can to retain Butler, who was instrumental in the team’s playoff run, where they ultimately battled the champs better than anyone else did during the playoffs and finals.
Jimmy Butler to decline player option as expected, will test free agency
