Jimmy Butler‘s meeting today with the Timberwolves will determine how much longer he stays in Minnesota, Shams Charania of The Athletic says in a new video (Twitter link). Charania also drops the bombshell that center Karl-Anthony Towns refuses to sign his rookie contract extension until he knows whether Butler will be sticking around.
Problems between Butler and Towns have been reported before, but mostly in behind-the-scenes whispers, usually followed by denials from team officials. Charania’s report is the latest evidence that Towns and Butler appear unable to co-exist over the long term.
“I’m told there won’t be any decision on that until this Jimmy Butler situation resolves itself,” Charania said of Towns’ extension. The 22-year-old center has until until mid-October to accept the five-year, maximum-salary deal.
Charania adds that Wolves management will definitely side with Towns if it comes down to a choice between the two players because Towns’ youth and potential make him too valuable to trade away. He adds that Butler’s relationships with his younger teammates will be among the issues to be discussed at today’s meeting.
Butler reportedly requested the session with coach/executive Tom Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden to clarify his future with the organization. He is expected to opt out of a $19.84MM salary and become a free agent next summer, but there’s a chance that Minnesota will trade him before that happens if the front office determines it’s a situation that cannot be salvaged.
Get rid of Thibs! He wears players down playing them so many minutes. Initially I liked the hire, but after 2 years of him whining about everything, he can go. They should have never made the trade, as they lost 2 young guys who’s potential is still very high.
I can’t believe I hated that trade when the Bulls first made it. Good job Garpax. Lol
The trade is only really bad when you realize we could have kept the 7th pick and drafted DONOVAN MITCHELL!!! But we probably wouldn’t have been that smart…
It doesn’t matter because Thibs would’ve had Mitchell ride the bench…
Best thing they can do is try to trade Butler ASAP and start building around KAT and Wiggins. Don’t waste half a season trying to make it work.
You can’t do that with Thibs. If butler goes, Thibs goes with him.
And im guessing Thibs likes paychecks.
This will get worse before it gets better.
Butler to Miami for James Johnson, Justice Winslow and a future draft pick.
That’s not A bad trade
Yes it is
You’re right…It isn’t a bad trade, it’s a terrible trade for Minnesota..
Trade him to the Lakers for Kuzma, Hart, and a future 1st..They’ll need more promising young players and two, two-way players will help their new young core out tremendously..
All Winslow would offer is defensive upside…Which they need, but Miami doesn’t even want him as part of their core, because he’s a one dimensional player..He can pass, but he’s extremely limited dribbling, and he has yet to establish a reliable shot…
Again, Hart and Kuzma would give Minnesota two solid offensive players, and Hart also offers some defensive upside as well..Kuzma is also a young and versatile scoring option that would play extremely well alongside Towns and Wiggins, helping open up driving lanes for both players…
The Wolves have Gibson, they don’t need Johnson…Winslow”s stock is also significantly lower than it once was…Wolves will laugh at that proposal, unless their 1st round pick ends up being a top 5, which isn’t likely…
Trade Butler, try not to get swindled.
Whose gonna give up major pieces for a rental
Lakers. They could give up Ball, Brandon I or Kuzma plus added junk to get Butler if he agrees with a wink to sign long term with LA.
Why? Lakers can just sign him as a free agent and keep their young guys. Big mistake giving Thibs GM job…
The reason a team could still trade for Butler even if they think they could sign him outright is to clear future cap space. If they trade a couple cheap young guys and draft picks, they’ll likely be able to offload a couple expensive vets as well. This would allow them to trade for Butler while saving cap space to sign other free agent stars.
Because next years FA class is outstanding and the Lakers would have room to sign a big fish and have a very good team to make a realistic run at a Championship…in 19/20. That’s why….
Lakers thought they could wait and Paul George would sign with them. No soap.
Yeah, they should trade for Ball and get his pops into town. That’ll help reduce the drama.
Butler would be a perfect fit on the Pacers with Oladipo. Give them Aaron Holiday, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Thaddeus Young.
Please just end this soap opera, trade Buckets & move forward building around KAT & Wiggins.
History repeats itself. Butler pulled the same antics in Chicago. This guy is a total primadonna and clubhouse CANCER. Any talent he has is negated, when you factor this in. So glad the Bulls got rid of him.
sora’s a mess – kg shud be overseeing things but the owner sucks
Honestly, Jimmy is the hardest working player I have seen in a long time. KAT is admittedly not. If I am Thibodeau I am siding with Jimmy – but I think this meeting is for Jimmy to tell them he is going to take the best offer he gets next year, no sweetheart deals for Thibs.
I am awfully tired of young players with poor discipline, however talented, complaining about their work situation when they get paid millions to work half the year in first class accommodations. You are living the dream, KAT, suck it up and deal with your co-workers the way everyone else who has a job has to.
Jimmy may be a bit full of himself but he has also raised himself to the level he is at (top free agent catch) from the #30 draft pick. In many ways, top picks like Towns seem to think they have already earned the respect of veterans without doing anything.
So much so this^^…
Jimmy was worked tremendously hard, which has somewhat proven to be a blessing and a curse..When he sees young and talented players expecting things instead of putting in MAX effort, he gets in their face..
Young players these days are babied and they don’t know how to handle confrontations like that…This is why Jimmy gets a bad rap like he does..
But is it really on Jimmy to demand your teammates work hard?!? …
People leave their jobs all the time due to coworkers/bosses they don’t like. Relationships at the work place are statistically proven to be a higher predicter of longevity and workplace happiness than salary. Relationships are also the highest cause of stress in the workplace, even more than salary. If KAT doesn’t like who he works for or plays with, the dude doesn’t have to sign his contract. Same reason Butler has the ability to set up a meeting to complain about his teammates.
My biggest issue with Butler is the public comments directed at teammates. This holier than thou attitude when you haven’t come close to winning anything yourself is the most annoying part of all the nonsense.
There’s a lot of truth there, but at some point grown adults need to find ways to get along with different types of personalities.
He worked tirelessly to become the player he is today. Is it so wrong to ask for players that are more naturally gifted to work just as hard??
Even so, I never think outting anyone publicly is a good idea..
These players act like they’re all 13 years old sometimes. It really gets tiresome.