Simmons eager to play alongside Butler: 'He's going to fit in here'

The addition of Jimmy Butler to the Philadelphia 76ers' talented young core following Saturday's blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves has Ben Simmons excited about his team's potential moving forward.

"I mean you add another All-Star to the team, definitely," said Simmons when asked if acquiring Butler elevates Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference pecking order, via ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "A guy like him who can come in and score the ball, veteran leadership, experience - he's going to fit in here. Our culture is winning, playing together as a team, and playing hard. I think he's going to bring that."

Simmons also mentioned that he briefly chatted with Butler earlier in the day once news of the trade began circulating.

"He said he just wants to win," Simmons added prior to Philadelphia's road matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night. "I think that's the mindset we all have here. We're excited to get Jimmy in here."

Joining Butler in the City of Brotherly Love is center Justin Patton, the 16th pick in the 2017 draft. Heading to Minnesota in the deal are forwards Dario Saric and Robert Covington, and veteran guard Jerryd Bayless, along with a 2022 second-round pick.

Philadelphia entered Saturday's game at FedEx Forum with an 8-4 record, good enough for third in the conference. The Timberwolves went 0-5 on their recent road trip, which reportedly made head coach and president Tom Thibodeau realize that his team couldn't succeed until the Butler trade saga concluded.