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Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler is known for, among other things, his seemingly unmatched work ethic. Brooklyn Nets star* (*used loosely) Ben Simmons is known for, well, the opposite.
But according to a new report, Butler could well look to team up with Simmons in Brooklyn should he chose to enter free agency next offseason.
Jimmy Butler’s interest in the Brooklyn Nets is ‘very’ real, partly due to a connection with Ben Simmons, per @NetsDaily
“Jimmy Butler’s interest in the Brooklyn Nets is very, very real. Part of it is New York, part of it is that Bernie Lee — who is Ben Simmons agent, is very… pic.twitter.com/ihNCVc0Ahe
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 12, 2024
“I can’t get into details for a number of reasons. But Jimmy Butler’s interest in the Brooklyn Nets is very, very real,” Nets reporter Robert Windrem stated on the The Brooklyn Pod. “Part of it is New York. Part of it is that Bernie Lee, who Ben Simmons agent, is very happy with the way his client has been dealt with by the Nets. Those are two things that I can talk about.”
Lee is also the agent for Butler.
“I have no idea, at this point, how the Nets feel about it,” Windrem continued. “It would seem, at this point, that considering the way the roster looks, considering the way the cap space looks, considering the way the draft stash looks, that they wouldn’t be interested. You know, he doesn’t fit the timeline. Would I be surprised if there were rumors that the Nets might be interested in him? Uh, no.”
Unless the interest is mutual, the rumors don’t mean much. But they’re still odd. Butler briefly teamed with Simmons in Philadelphia and the two reportedly didn’t see eye-to-eye.
Now Butler wants to team with that same guy again? On a worse team? After Simmons has suffered multiple career-altering injuries?
We’re not sold. But it’s the NBA, so you never know.