Former Sixers star Jimmy Butler ranked No. 20 small forward in history

Ky Carlin, Sixers WireSat, August 15, 2026 at 11:01 AM UTC

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Jimmy Butler's time with the Philadelphia 76ers was short-lived as he played only 55 games for the franchise after being acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves early in the 2018-19 season before leaving for the Miami Heat in free agency. Butler had some great moments for Philadelphia, including some big ones in the playoffs, before leading the Heat to the finals in 2020 and 2023.

Butler averaged 18.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists during his time in Philadelphia and then had some spectacular moments while with the Heat as he threw them on his back multiple times. Now with the Golden State Warriors, Butler has battled injuries, but when he has played, he's been terrific for them.

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HoopsHype is ranking the top 20 small forwards in the history of the NBA and Butler comes in ranked No. 20 on the list:

One of the best two-way swingmen of his generation, Houston native Jimmy Butler led two undermanned Heat teams to the NBA Finals and took another one all the way to Game 7 of an Eastern Conference Finals. He was off to a great start with Golden State, too, before blowing out his knee. Butler, despite lacking much of a three-point shot, has been an analytics darling and a highly efficient player in his prime, not only for his defensive impact but also because he’s been so good at drawing fouls and sinking free throws at a high rate. It also helps that Butler is so adept at scoring out of the midrange, possessing an old-school flair in this three-point-crazed era of the sport.

A 6-time All-Star, 5-time All-NBA Team member, 5-time All-Defensive Team member, and 2015 Most Improved Player winner, Butler will be looking to build a strong Hall of Fame resume with more success in Golden State.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Former Sixers star Jimmy Butler ranked No. 20 small forward in history

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Source: “AOL Sports”