The early trade market for Jimmy Butler is “confused and cool” as teams contemplate the risk of trading for the All-Star wing, according to Zach Lowe, who takes a deep dive into the Butler situation his his latest piece for ESPN.com. The 29-year-old’s reported desire for a five-year contract that could be worth in the neighborhood of $190MM may make some potential suitors back off, though those teams could also be posturing in the early going, Lowe notes.
One of the most interesting tidbits that Lowe passes along in his article is on the Timberwolves‘ desire to include Gorgui Dieng in a deal if they decide to move Butler. Lowe is skeptical that any prospective trade partners will be eager to take on Dieng, who still has three years and over $48MM left on his contract.
Here’s more from Lowe and others on Butler and the Wolves:
- It would be “shocking” if the Clippers were willing to offer rookie guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in any package for Butler, sources tell Lowe. In fact, there has been no indication that the Clips haven’t acted aggressively – or much at all – on Butler so far.
- The Bucks placed a courtesy call to the Timberwolves asking to be kept in the loop if the team gets serious about moving Butler. Still, Lowe doesn’t view Milwaukee as a fit, observing that Khris Middleton would probably have to be included. The Bucks would likely have a better chance next summer to re-sign Middleton than Butler.
- After reporting earlier today that the Timberwolves are telling teams Butler’s not available, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has updated his story to suggest that opposing clubs believe the “fastest avenue” to negotiating a trade is to engage owner Glen Taylor, rather than Tom Thibodeau. Thibodeau is less inclined to part with Butler, but Taylor has stepped in on this sort of matter in the past, overseeing trades involving Kevin Garnett and Kevin Love.
- In the wake of Butler’s trade request, initial reports suggested his desire to leave Minnesota was motivated more by “contractual matters” than any discord with Karl-Anthony Towns or Andrew Wiggins. A source in Butler’s camp who spoke to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times disputes that notion, suggesting it was “manufactured” by “ownership mouthpieces” to make Butler look bad. “According to the source, this is about a philosophy in making an impact in the Western Conference,” Cowley writes. “In Butler’s mind you can’t run down a dynasty like Golden State when two of the so-called dogs in the pack are in fact kittens.” Presumably, that’s a reference to Towns and Wiggins.
Disclaimer: 1 player doesn’t make a team.
That being said, Butler needs to show he himself can excel in the playoffs before he starts talking about dogs vs kittens.
Gm 1 vs Houston-13 pts on 36% FG(wiggins 18 pts on 47% FG)
Gm 2- 11 pts on 50% (wiggins 13 pts on 43%)
Gm 3- 28 pts on 53% (wiggins 20pts on 64%)
Gm 4- 19 pts on 41% (wiggins 14 pts on 36%)
Gm 5- 8 pts on 40% FG (wiggins 14pts on 36%)
Gms 1, 2 and 5 were on the road. Vets are supposed to step up on the road because, as the “star”, “leader” of the squad you have to show because the younger players lack experience in the playoffs and usually don’t perform as well on the road.
By no means am I trying to insinuate that Wiggins is better than Butler. However, Butler has “BD energy” with little “ping” production. Win something. Show you can excel when it counts the most. Be the leader of your team when it counts. Quite, frankly, who’s the dog and who’s the kitten when it counts buddy? The idea that he thinks he can lead a team anywhere is laughable. You’re a star and not a mega, hop on my back kinda guy.
To bring up that series is really dumb. He missed like 3 months before that. When he went down, they were a top 4 seed, and without him they almost missed the playoffs. Andrew Wiggins is a lazy, careless, non team player. I’ve gone into a lot of detail previously about his problems. He is their main issue, generally, right now
Dudes getting 140 mill this offseason. I don’t think you hurt his feelings any. But nice research. We can all tell you take your hating seriously.
He is not hating, just putting things plainly & simply. Totally agree with him. Many fans seems to think that Buckets is wonderful & Wiggins is garbage & that is not right, man. southbeachbully is been making some excellent points this last 2 days, very well researched & explained, unlike most fans lazy attitude just siding with what the majority thinks, which usually is wrong.
Why would I hate on anyone? NBA players all make more than me. I’m not a fan of either team nor player. That being said, I work with both musical artists and athletes and one thing is for sure. The media and fans can create a narrative that’s not always based on facts or even relevant 2nd hand sources. Please understand my point. Butler is COMPLETELY basing this decision on his own self-interest of getting the max contract. My guess is that the Twolves declined to give him the max and now, one month before training camp, he demands a trade RIGHT NOW because he wants to make sure that his bird-rights, which will allow him about $50 mil more, will be attached. He’s all about the money. I’m not mad at that but don’t act like your this “I want to win and these guys are kittens not dogs” bull. You want to be traded from a team with very talented players, that despite the fact they probably won’t go far in the playoffs, stand a better chance of winning vs the Knicks (my team), Brooklyn and the Clippers. He’s 29 and is looking at his last big pay day. Do you. Get your money. But be honest about what your priorities are. The media loves to cling to “Black guys that come from humble beginnings and have a tough persona”. Steven A. Jackson would make it seem like dude is the second coming of Tupac or 50 Cent. Most NBA players are tough and come from humble beginnings. Does that mean they want to win more than Curry or Klay? No. How does one measure heart? Because he doesn’t play D? Are Dirk, Harden or Melo heartless too? Would does that even mean? You don’t play with heart? You think Harden doesn’t want to win. What does Harden do best? Shoot and score. What about Wiggins in Butler’s all-seeing eye makes him “heartless” and why do we, rationale human beings, eat that narrative up?
He didn’t say “kittens” publicly or possibly even at all.
But he would be metaphorically correct if he did, IMO.
He’s a guy trying to get traded away and it’s an ugly process to do that because he must turn people off.
And it will only get worse, if he does it right, and enough.
I liked where they say other teams are contemplating their move. It’s hard to gauge, what would it take to win him– and do you want to, at 5/$190mil?
It’s not the scoring from Wiggins. It’s his effort level, the fact he disappears, the fact he still hasnt really gotten stronger, the fact that he could be an elite defender, but still hasnt shown any glimpses of desire or ability to play that end of the floor, nor has he really improved in that area. He still needs to continue to improve his jumpshot, and he needs to be a more willing attacker with the ball, and learn how to play without the ball by posting up in the half court and/or becoming a great cutter. The thing is that he absolutely has enough talent to be a great player, but it’s hard to say that we know he even wants to be. He took the most shots on that team last year, and there were still reports of him complaining about touches and shots. If anything, KAT needs more touches, and Wiggins needs to be more efficient. Jimmy Butler should be frustrated with him. The work he has put in to be the player he is, and he still wants more. Wiggins has all this talent, and he doesnt even care
Pure fact. Butler isnt a cornerstone player