The Sixers are declining Jared Butler's $2,349,578 team option for the 2025-26 season, a source told PhillyVoice on Friday afternoon. Kyle Neubeck of PHLY was first to report the news.
Butler, 24, was acquired alongside four second-round picks at the trade deadline, with the Sixers sending Reggie Jackson and a first-round pick to the Washington Wizards. Butler was quickly converted from his two-way contract to a standard deal, and finished the season with the Sixers as a calming presence at point guard.
In 28 games (17 starts), Butler averaged 11.5 points and 4.9 assists while logging 24.4 minutes per game. His three-point shooting came along in the final weeks of the season, but it did not translate to much winning for a Sixers team that found itself on the losing end of nearly every game down the stretch.
Butler will be an unrestricted free agent. And while there is nothing preventing the Sixers from bringing him back into the fold, the team's lack of willingness to pick up an option at just a hair over the veteran's minimum salary might not bode well for his chances of returning to Philadelphia.
The Sixers had to make a decision on Butler's team option by June 29 – the same goes for Lonnie Walker IV at $2.9 million – and ultimately opted against guaranteeing his salary for next season. This does not give the team any additional spending power when free agency begins on June 30, but if the Sixers do not have complete faith in Butler as a member of their standard roster it would not have made sense to guarantee his money.
It is possible that the Sixers still like Butler but would rather evaluate their options than commit a roster spot to him before free agency opens and will keep the door open for a potential return. But the likelihood of Butler sticking with the Sixers has taken a major hit.
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