76ers Sign, Trade Jimmy Butler, Sign 5-Time All-Star Al Horford

PHILADELPHIA, PA — It will be a different crop of 76ers competing for the NBA title in 2020.

One of the biggest Sixers storylines of the NBA offseason came to a close on Sunday evening, as Philadelphia has reportedly signed and traded away star shooting guard Jimmy Butler, a crucial part of the team that came a lucky bounce away from the Eastern Conference semifinals this past season.

Butler will head to the Miami Heat, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report, in a deal that will bring a very good player back to Philadelphia in Josh Richardson.

In addition, the Sixers have signed five-time All Star and former Boston Celtic Al Horford to a four-year, $109 million deal. That's in addition to their resigning of Tobias Harris to a five-year, $180 million contract earlier in the evening Sunday.

>>76ers Resign Tobias Harris To 5-Year, $180M Contract

Horford, Richardson, and Harris will join the original members of the Process, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, in what is sure to once again be one of the most formidable starting five rosters in the NBA.

And more than just that, it will be a team oriented around size and defense, rather than shooting. Along with Butler, the Sixers also lost JJ Redick (to the New Orleans Pelicans on a two-year, $26.5 million deal) from last year's starting five, two players who excel at outside shooting. They've been replaced with the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year in Horford, and someone who was a candidate for the 2019 award in Richardson.

On top of that, they added the NCAA's 2019 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, Matisse Thybulle, with the 20th overall pick in this year's draft. This is a team built to shut down the star-powered offenses they'll need to defeat to win the East, while providing a supporting cast that should allow Simmons and Embiid to thrive.

Their bench will be supported by fan favorite Mike Scott, who was resigned to a two-year deal Sunday night, as well as 2018 first round draft pick Zhaire Smith.

Even just on paper, this team will be flat-out more imposing than last year's: Horford is 6'10 to Butler's 6'8 (albeit a power forward to a small forward), while Richardson is 6'6 to Redick's 6'4.

NBA free agency officially opened at 6 p.m. Sunday and a flurry of moves immediately followed.

Further details on the Sixers evolving roster and these trades and signings will be provided as they become available.