3 things we learned from the Jimmy Butler saga

On Saturday, a day after getting stomped by the Kings to fall to 4-9, the Timberwolves traded Jimmy Butler to the Sixers. Justin Patton went to Philadelphia as well, with Dario Saric, Robert Covington, Jerryd Bayless, and a future second-round pick going to Minnesota.

Here are three important things we learned from this saga’s resolution.

1. The Wolves got less for Jimmy than the Spurs got for Kawhi Leonard and the Pacers got for Paul George. We’re not even grading Indiana on a curve here given Victor Oladipo’s huge rise after the trade: Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis were a better package than Saric and RoCo, especially since Minnesota is also giving up Patton. DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl are a better package too, even with Danny Green also going to Toronto. Jimmy’s stock has fallen, or the Wolves’ front office performed worse than the others, or both.

2. Elton Brand is extraordinarily brave. Brand just took over the lead job in the Sixers front office a couple months ago. He just watched Butler ruin the chemistry of a young team with shaky internal leadership. And now he’s injecting Jimmy straight into a team with brash Joel Embiid, calm Ben Simmons, and skittish Markelle Fultz. What a huge bet! I love it.

3. Jimmy Butler is absolutely in play this summer. Since Jimmy didn’t land with the Heat, Knicks (who were apparently never in the mix, good for them), and Clippers -- three teams he targeted -- it would seem he’ll be in play as a free agent this summer. The Sixers can pay to keep him if they want to and if he wants to. It should be interesting to read those tea leaves.

Here are your winners and losers from the trade. I wrote about how the Wolves set expectations and measure success now. Kristian Winfield writes that status quo wasn’t an option for Philly. Jake Hyman writes that Brand now needs to build a supporting cast. Wolves fans seem thrilled to be out from under Jimmy’s dark cloud.

Hornets 113, Pistons 103
Pacers 103, Rockets 115
Magic 115, Knicks 89
Bucks 121, Nuggets 114
Celtics 94, Blazers 100
Hawks 106, Lakers 107

On National TV:
Pelicans at Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Warriors at Clippers, 10:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV

Selections from League Pass:
Sixers at Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET
Jazz at Grizzlies, 8 p.m. ET
Spurs at Kings, 10 p.m. ET

Full schedule here.

Uh, Carmelo Anthony might have played his last game for the Rockets.

This is a great tick-tock of the unwinding of the Butler saga from Adrian Wojnarowski. It sounds like Thibodeau is done at the end of the season.

Several teams wore t-shirts honoring the victims of the Thousand Oaks shooting and declaring “enough” gun violence. LeBron and Luke Walton discussed the tragedy at some length.

The Lakers might be the greatest League Pass team ever. Those Lakers, by the way, are at .500 after beating the Hawks at home by a point on a Tyson Chandler block of a Trae Young finger roll.

DeMar DeRozan has been incredible this season.

The worst coaching hire was ... Rick Pitino.

Kevin Pelton breaks down whether teams have an incentive to tank for Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett.

Where can the Wizards trade John Wall?

Where to get all of those dope city jerseys and more.

The Sixers’ Zhaire Smith’s recovery from a foot fracture has been extended because of a food allergy. What?

Gordon Hayward played in SLC for the first time since leaving the Jazz on Friday. He got booed ... a lot. Here’s why Utah is so mad at him.

Kristaps Porzingis should probably just take the season off.

Be excellent to each other.