Jimmy Butler wants to sign a five-year maximum deal with a new team next year, which is why he wants out of Minnesota this season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Butler, who is expected to opt out of his current contract next summer, is limited to four years and about $140MM if he changes teams in free agency. However, his Bird rights will transfer in any trade, so if a team deals for him, it can make a five-year offer in the neighborhood of $190MM.
Butler was hoping for a larger extension offer from the Wolves than the four-year, $100MM+ deal he turned down in July, Charania adds. However, Minnesota was prohibited by CBA rules from offering more than that amount this offseason unless the team renegotiated Butler’s contract, which would require cap room.
Executives from other teams believe a Butler trade will happen at some point this season, but it’s not clear where he will go or when it might happen. Butler identified the Knicks, Nets and Clippers as his preferred locations when making his trade request, but the Wolves are under no obligation to grant his wishes. Another report tonight identified the Clippers as the early front-runner.
Brooklyn and L.A. seem motivated to try to land Butler, Charania adds, while New York is reluctant to part with draft picks and young players. The Celtics have the assets to make a play for Butler, but don’t need him with Gordon Hayward‘s return from ankle surgery. Charania suggests the Sixers may also check into Butler’s price tag.
There’s more to pass along as teams line up for a shot at Butler:
- Butler didn’t put the Lakers on his list, reportedly because he isn’t interested in a complementary role to LeBron James, but even if he wanted to go there the team would have difficulty putting together an offer for the next three months, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. L.A.’s roster is filled with newly signed free agents who aren’t eligible to be traded until December 15. The team would need to send out at least $16MM to match salaries and has a limited pool of players to pick from. Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram would give them a combined $13.2MM, but the Lakers aren’t likely to part with two young stars when they can offer a max deal next summer. They could have kept Luol Deng for salary matching purposes, but Pincus states that Butler was never a priority for the organization.
- The Nets have young talent, a couple of large expiring contracts and their first-round pick for the first time since 2013, notes Michael Scotto of The Athletic. Caris LeVert is considered a core piece of the organization, but Brooklyn may be willing to part with the versatile guard for a player like Butler. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is coming off his best NBA season, but will be eligible for restricted free agency next summer. Impending free agents Kenneth Faried ($13.76 million) and DeMarre Carroll ($15.4 million) could both be useful to match salaries.
- The Heat would love to acquire Butler, but may not have the assets to make a deal work, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson and Hassan Whiteside could all be traded one-for-one for Butler, adds Anthony Chiang of The Herald, but he states that Minnesota will be looking for younger talent such as Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow and Bam Adebayo.
- Oddsmaker Bovada lists the Timberwolves as 3/2 favorites to still have Butler when the season starts, relays Sean Highkin of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). The Sixers are next in line at 11/4, followed by the Knicks at 15/4, the Lakers at 5/1 and the Nets and Celtics each at 15/2.
Wolves should get Russell from Brooklyn.
Should try attaching Wiggins with Butler to clean their hands and build properly around KAT.
This would be hilarious, unfortunately would never happen
That contract was given way too prematurely lol. Man is it bad.
Please explain why the contract is bad. Maybe he CAN improve on his defense and be more passionate about that. However, he’s a 23 year old player who the year before Butler’s arrival slashed 45/35/76 with 24pts, 4 reb, 2 asst and 1 steal. Those are all-star caliber numbers. His contract is far from bad, especially if you consider what similar players are getting (Devin Booker, Victor Oladipo, Zach Lavine).
It’s been said that Butler had issues with Wiggins and KAT because of a me first mentality or putting self-interests ahead of winning. It can be said that a player who had issues with young players in both Chicago and now Minnesota who wants to be traded NOW so that his acquiring team can offer him 1 year and $50 mil more is putting his self interests ahead of winning. A player who waits until September to ask for a trade is putting his self interests ahead of a team. A player who is making it know he wants to be traded to teams that suck but are located in the two biggest markets in NY and LA is putting his self interest ahead of winning. I’ve lost respect for Butler and I can’t understand why the media makes it seems like he’s this tough, get in your face guy who is so concerned about players “playing the game the right way” that he’ll get in their face and call them out. It’s bull. He wants his money and he wants the limelight.
Disclaimer: I have no idea if Butler asked for a trade earlier on (we didn’t know Irving had asked for a trade months before it became public) but if not, what a piece of dog pooh are you to wait this long when most teams have exhausted most of their resources, salary cap space and for some, have newly signed FA that can’t be traded for salary purposes until after Dec. This will limit the return that they can get for Butler. It’s an impossible situation to put teams, especially those in small markets that are not that popular destinations for marquee players. It’s not a good look for the NBA at all.
Wow man! This is such a great comment… best I read in months southbeachbully! Totally with you
desperate gm’s do desperate things
they throw boston in any conversation simply because they have the assets. they dont need butler
Would love for a butler trade to be between the sixers and the Celtics. They have too many good assets. The teams Butler named are useless.
based on his preferred list of destinations, makes you wonder why mini just doesn’t get rid of him ASAP. clearly winning means nothing to Butler.
The teams he mentioned are not useless to HIM. Clearly, limelight and having his bird-rights attached are his priority. He wants to be #1 or at least, #1A.
That being said, if I’m Minnesota and I feel as if I HAVE to move him, I’m sending him where I can the most back in return. Screw his wish list and it’s almost absurd that a player under contract who does NOT have the right to block a trade will submit his desired wish list. I DO understand that the idea is that he is indicating that those teams would be teams he would be open to resigning with if he opts out or simply renegotiate an extenstion ahead of his opt out but still. I could absolutely see him being traded to one of Clippers, Knicks or Nets and then based upon where other players end up, signing with a different team next off-season. The NBA is becoming about me, me and me.
I’m more of a Cavs fan that respects the legacy of LBJ vs just being a LBJ fan. I hated him when he went to Miami. I had no ill feelings towards him when he went to LA. That being said, we can say whatever we want about him. He honored every single contract he’s ever signed and NEVER demanded to be traded anywhere. Coming out of camp LBJ probably knew he wasn’t going to win last year with no Kyrie and some of the other issues. He had LA in the back of his mind and where as some players may have tried to save their bodies from injury risk and sort of half ass it thru the season, he played….every single….game last year and had one of his best seasons ever. That’s the difference between one of goats vs really good players who mistakenly think they are more important than they really are. Butler couldn’t take his team to 50 wins with a great coach and teammates like KAT, Wiggins, Teague, Crawford, Gibson, etc and now he wants to be traded to teams, with the exception of an injured Porzingas, really don’t have any star talent at all on their roster. Sometimes as a player, you just need to sit still and focus on where you are. Grass ain’t always greener. Unless your talking about that Cali kush. I imagine the weed selections are better in LA vs Minnesota. Joking. (takes pull…cough, cough, cough).
Don’t listen to this nonsense. He’s coming home to Phoenix. Book it
Like on Kawhi, the Spurs wanted Tatum or Brown from the Celtics and Danny Ainge said no starters. The Spurs told the Sixers all they wanted was Embiid or Simmons. Chicago got Markkenan, Dunn, and Lavine for Butler. The Pacers got Oladipo and Sabonis for George. San Antonio got DeRozan for Kawhi. Whoever and whenever they deal with, they should get one quality player in return.
Dont the wolves want a decent pg? Dragic and Winslow for Butler and filler wouldnt be too bad a deal. Unless thibs is actually thinking roses poor body can handle starting for the Hitler of nba minutes.
They need a decent wing. Teague is starting and Tyus backing him up at PG.
They were trying to do a Wiggins for Lowry though, it’s hopeful thinking but imagine Butler and kawhi both getting traded there and deciding Canada was cooler than la
Were they really trying or was that just a made up rumor? If anything it would have probably been Wiggins for DeRozan.
Also Canada is literally cooler.
KP and Noah for Butler…doubt it would happen but the Wolves get a young star in return along with a salary match and Tibs player. Knicks dump the Noah salary and get a player that will bring in Kyrie next off-season. Add Knox, Williams and a lottery draft pick next year and you have the makings of a team that is young and finally competitive.
Gotta trade him, just not good for the team in any sense to keep him around after all the social media BS. If Thibs won’t trade him, fire him and find someone who will. Cut your losses and move on.
A b8g 3 of Kat, Wiggins and kp would be sick, especially if the were nicknamed Karl the Canadian unicorn.
Why would the Knicks trade KP (assuming they feel he will resign with them)? And why would Minnesota trade for KP who’s currently injured, is a similar player to KAT, has no connection to Minnesota and may walk as a FA the next season? If I’m Minnesota, I’m still trying to win. Small market team have a short window to succeed. They basically have their high caliber talent for their rookie contract and then the extension they are likely to sign for money/security purposes. I want back high caliber talent and/or likely top 5 draft picks in return for Butler.
These odds are nowhere near what Bovada is listing on their web site. Maybe Sean Highkin would like to lay them
Now we hear of ”reports” that Jimmy B doesn’t want to be a complementary player to Lebron? Really!!! Jimmy is getting too big for his own britches..If these are true reports, this list of players not wanting to play in Lebrons band is getting quite extensive. Kyrie, PG, Jimmy B and possibly Kawhi. Lebrons Alpha male reputation for dominant status requiring sub-dominant status for others is too big a turn off for top class players. Jimmy B sees himself a superstar when he only burns mediocris stella. He may have priced himself out of top dollar market, ending up with mediocre contract on a team with zero chance at a ring. Worst of both worlds unless you’re there just to count cash.
2 weeks ago it was he was intrigued with joining Lebron. Now its he doesn’t wanna play in his shadow.
These players talk a lot of bull.
Yo, don’t believe everything the media says.
In defense of LBJ, Kyrie had one of his best years of his career playing with LBJ and he developed a reputation as a closer BECAUSE LBJ was willing to defer to the hot hand or take over if that player wasn’t on and he had it going on. One things that is in LBJ’s dna is that he’ll pass the ball to the open man.
2017 Kyrie: Career high in FG shots (19.7), a then career high in FG% (47%) and career high in PPG (25.2). Also, near career highs in assists. Not sure if anyone can claim that LBJ minimized Irving’s on court performance. If anything, it seems more like an ego/brand issue when it comes to stars playing with LBJ. They all want to win but they ONLY want to win if they’re viewed as the leader of the team.
People claim that the difference between LBJ vs MJ/Kobe is that he’s too passive at times. Then there’s the narrative that star players don’t want to play in his shadow. The shadow might be cast because of his signigiance in the world in general, but on the court LBJ has shown he’s a great teammate who will get you the ball as long as you get open.
Another bogus article Why would Butler choose those Losers? Just stay with wolves!
It’s not about winning with Butler this is his last chance to cash in with a big contract. he can’t get the biggest contracts from the T-wolves so he needs to get his bird rights to another team that can offer him more. L.A. is a no go because Lebron’s contract doesn’t leave enough room for what Butler believes he is worth. He would love to play with Lebron if he could also make 190 mil while doing it, but that will never be the case. I am not glad to see him leave the wolves but there is no way he stays put so i am just hoping for a good return now.
I think Brooklyn, Clippers & New York should offer whatever it takes for Butler, while if interested Boston, Lakers & Philly, should only do marginal offers, that’s the difference between competing or not, you shouldn’t give up a lot if you wanna win, if you can’t win just as well give all you can to get your guy.
What is in the water in Miami. Of course the Heat have the trading assets. James J or either PG for matching, plus a young player… why would Heat writers think a young player in a Butler trade is a deal-stopper?
They are overloaded. Trading quantity for quality should be an imperative. Is Riley making everyone dingaling? Let Riley put the salespitch to Butler as his last big act then retire him.
He doesn’t want to be Labrons butler or maid, he wants to be the boss which he would be in New York e.g. He may change his name to world piece…
Jimmy is a leader and a #1 option in only Jimmy’s head. To everyone else, he’s a #2 Pippen-type player.
NBC Sports says Butler wants his contract renegotiated now, and 4 years added to his contract at $30mm per year, not the 4 year $100mm extension. Says to do that the Timberwolves would only be able to keep their starters. Next?
So it’s not about the kids. It’s all about the Benjamin’s. Makes more sense now.
Don’t really see a fit with Philly, it’s very doubtful they’d give him a max deal, and Embiid, Simmons, Fultz and Saric aren’t getting traded.
We’d be better off with what we have.
Sixers wouldn’t give up anything of value. Just Chandler + Bayless and a Pick is all I could see them parting with. If they didnt break the bank for 1 yr of Kawhi, cant see them doing it for Butler who is older.
And it seems that Butler has issues with young players. A guy like Embid who is so into social media jokes/beef and Simmons whose dating a Kardashian might not gel with Butler.
Disclaimer: Not saying Embid or Simmons are doing anything negative at all. It’s just how young NBA players are in today’s world.
Yup, it’s a nonstarter. The fact he wants to go to NYC or LA and be the man. Embiid is already better than Butler, so hed be 2nd fiddle anyway. I liked the idea of bringing him in, but no one wants to play anywhere but NY or LA apparently. Kyrie doesnt even want to play in Boston and they are clear cut to win the East. Its Money and Location not Money and Winning.