Jimmy Butler is an amazing distraction from the Markelle Fultz disaster

Jimmy Butler hit his second game-winning three of his Sixers career in his seventh game in Philly on Sunday. That seems good. Butler lifted the Sixers over the Nets with a nasty stepback triple over Rondae Hollis-Jefferson with 0.4 seconds left. The dude has no fear of the moment, and Philadelphia is happy to let him take those moments right now. Everything is going smoothly ...

... as long as you avert your eyes from the Markelle Fultz crisis, that is. The Athletic reported last week that Fultz would prefer a fresh start, and Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer followed that up by reporting that the Sixers are considering trading him and no longer consider him to be in the team’s long-term plans.

The question is what you trade Fultz for. Not just what can you get for him -- what do the Sixers need, and what can they afford with Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Jimmy Butler all in line for maximum contracts? It’s all pretty complicated, and a big distraction from the big impact Jimmy has had.

Or is Jimmy the distraction from what a massive disaster the Fultz trade was for the Sixers? Where’s @AlVic40117560 when we need him?

Scores

Magic 108, Lakers 104
Suns 107, Pistons 118
Hornets 123, Hawks 124
Sixers 127, Nets 125
Heat 115, Raptors 125
Knicks 103, Grizzlies 98
Jazz 133, Kings 112
Clippers 104, Blazers 100

Schedule

On NBA TV:
Rockets at Wizards, 7 p.m. ET

Selections from League Pass:
Celtics at Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET
Pacers at Jazz, 9 p.m. ET
Magic at Warriors, 10:30 p.m. ET

Full schedule.

Links

I wrote about the Jazz’s underwhelming start and how Donovan Mitchell needs another playmaker on offense. Of course, Utah then scored 133 on Sunday. You’re welcome, Jazz fans.

David Fizdale got revenge on the Grizzlies. Not quite as dramatic as Dwane Casey’s revenge game, but just as sweet.

Uh, Aaron Gordon was on Wait, Wait ... Don’t Tell Me.

The New York Times sports desk tries to make sense of the first quarter of the NBA season.

Jarrett Allen signature calculators are definitely the hottest NBA merch in the streets.

Dirk Nowitzki still isn’t playing, so he’s turned into a ref whisperer on the sidelines.

The Los Angeles Clippers are in first place in the West.

NBA ratings are down.

The Cavaliers beat the Sixers and Rockets back to back this weekend. What the ...

Devin Gordon on overreactions early in the season.

Be excellent to each other.