Jimmy Butler Reacts To Joel Embiid Being Unhappy With Role After He Joined The Team

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Since the Sixers acquired Jimmy Butler last month, Sixers all-star big man Joel Embiid is shooting 43.1 percent and averaging 23.8 points per game in 11 games which is significantly down from the 48 percent and averaging 28.2 points per game he was averaging before the trade.

On Friday, a frustrated Embiid told reporters that he’s not happy with his role as a stretch five after the team acquired Butler.

Via Philly.com

“I haven’t been myself lately,” “I think it’s mainly because of the way I’ve been used, which is I’m being used as a spacer, I guess, a stretch five, which I’m only shooting [29] percent” from three-point range.

“But it seems like the past couple games, like with the way I play, our setup, [Brown] always has me starting on the perimeter … and it just really frustrates me. My body feels great, and it’s just I haven’t been playing well.”

Today, Butler spoke to the media about Embiid’s comments and says he understands the big man’s frustrations.

I know where his heart is, his heart is pure he wants to win and I feel for him. It’s new to myself, it’s new to him, it’s new to everybody.
But we’re okay, I know he wants to win, he’s frustrated. He wanted to play and coach didn’t let him play. We need him longterm. He’s been doing a lot on both ends of the floor for this team,That’s our best player I can understand being frustrated, he’s a hell of a player and we’ll figure out ways to make sure he’s always succesful

Here’s coach Brett Brown talking about the team’s spacing.

It’s still early in the season and the Sixers can probably figure things out but we’ll have to wait and see if Embiid is happy with his role at the end of the season.