It has been nearly a week since training camps opened around the NBA, and it’s not clear if the Jimmy Butler saga is any closer to a resolution. That perceived lack of progress remains a source of frustration for Butler’s camp, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, who writes that the 29-year-old and his representatives are seriously questioning whether the Timberwolves are legitimately trying to find a deal.
As Amick details, more than half of the NBA’s 30 teams have shown at least some level of interest in Butler, but the veteran’s camp continues to hear that the Wolves’ asking price is “far too high” and that the counter-offers put on the table by Minnesota are “downright delusional.”
[RELATED: Timberwolves reportedly asked Sixers for Ben Simmons]
As we’ve noted in previous stories on Butler, team owner Glen Taylor has given the All-NBA swingman assurances that the team will find and take the best deal, but there’s a sense that president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden have been in no rush to resolve the situation. With the NBA’s preseason schedule underway, it remains unclear whether or not Butler will report to the team if no deal is completed, but Amick suggests that patience is wearing thin on Butler’s side.
Amick also observes that there’s a difference in opinion on when exactly Butler made it clear that he didn’t envision a long-term future in Minnesota and wanted out. The franchise reportedly feels blindsided by the All-Star’s trade request, since Thibodeau believes last month’s meeting in Los Angeles was the first and only time that request was made. However, a source tells Amick that Butler thinks he made it clear during an August meeting that he wanted to move on from the Wolves.
This guy is a super diva! He made his request. They are trying to honor it but not at the cost of nothing. If he believes hes a max player then the Wolves are right to look for a max player return. I use to like this guy but its obvious all his talk about team and hard work was just for the bucks, not for the wins!
As the World Turns ! Who do we believe, Butler, Thibs or Taylor ?? In the mean time the NBA, Wolves Organization and Wolves Fans suffer .
Sit out the season then cry baby…
The Clippers could offer so much, I don’t know what Jerry West is waiting for. Bring Butler to the Clippers and go after Gasol or Kawhi next summer.
Butler is a cry baby. Will probably ruin the team chemistry like he did in Minnesota and Chicago.
Clippers are in rebuild mode why would they bring in a guy who has been a locker room cancer.
Because they can make the Clippers a powerhouse if they get Kawhi and Butler together.
Still not enough to unseat warriors. Another version of the clippers with cp3 and Blake griffin. They need to get young lottery picks build strong depth the acquire some all stars. 4/5 year away from being relevant.
If the Heat can’t satisfy Butler, getting Butler and Kawhi together with the Clippers is probably the next most logical thing to happen given the Clippers have enough cap space to sign both. The Rockets will be the only team capable of competing with the Warriors, and being realistic from a neutral standing point, everybody knows it. You are doing a good job Dionis!
If the Clips were going to make an offer they would have. None of Butler’s top three did, is the report.
MIL, MIA, HOU is in play.
Niether Kawhi nor Butler is likely to be Jerry West’s type, but they could be second options next year.
Look at it from the Wolves perspective. They recently resigned KAT and Wiggins. They want to contend. Butler was under contract for 2018-19 season. Butler waited until 1 month before camp to demand a trade. What a douchey thing to do to a team. So now, they’re looking for a team to trade with. They were counting on Butler for 20+ pts, 5 rebunds and a few assists. What do the Clippers have to offer that will be of great impact this year? What are they offering? If it’s Tobias or Williams, then maybe. If it’s mostly draft picks then maybe the Wolves want better?
Jerry is waiting for you to come in and lead the FO in Los Angeles. He could really use your experience and knowledge. What does he know, right?
As 2ReasonSports twitter reported this weekend that Miami made it’s final offer last Thursday. Miami Herald said it made an offer last Thursday morning that did not include Josh Richardson and was a nonstarter with the Timberwolves. ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported this weekend that Milwaukee was preparing an offer that centered around Kris Middleton. While the Clippers haven’t made a serious offer, it is thought that Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, and Patrick Beverly would be enough. Miami had said it was willing to take Dieng. Another said Thibs is trying to get fired!
Don’t forget that the Sixers essentially hung up on them when they asked for Simmons. The question had to be raised on if the team is actually trying to trade him or string this along by asking for other teams best players in return.
MIN is strung out themselves.
With the way Jimmy had left Chicago and now, Minnesota, I’m no longer a fan of his.
Trade him or assign him to the Minsk team in the VTB United League (Russia). Unfortunately, Siberia has no team. Thibs can go along to wipe Jimmy’s nose.
The Timberwolves are under no obligation to trade Butler just because he wants to be traded. Glen Taylor (Wolves owner) should hire an advisor to evaluate trade proposals if Thibodeau and Layden are dragging their feet. Both would likely quit if Taylor goes around them but that might not be such a bad thing.
Agree, I hope Taylor does go around them and makes a decision ..
… to trade more than one ex-Bull, if only to send a message to Thibs.
I want Thibs gone as well as Butler. Thibs is as big a cry baby as Butler. Taylor needs to do whatever to blow this whole mess up. Layden needs to go too.
A diva? This dude kills himself for 48 minuets every night. There aren’t more than a hand full of players in the league who give as much effort.
His beef from Day 1 has been with the guys around him who won’t play hard on both ends of the floor. Andrew Wiggins might be the biggest underachiever in the NBA, and KAT has fallen in love with standing around the perimeter. That team is a mess.
Jimmy Butler is doing the Timberwolves a solid. He could’ve simply waited and left at the end of the season, in which case, Minnesota gets nothing.
They’d be well served to find a deal that’s acceptable and move on.
I agree with all your points, but Jimmy is also angling for a 5 year max that he can only get with another team if he forces a trade.
I think we all know why this is happening. Butler thinks he came to MN to show KAT how to play, and KAT thinks Butler came to MN as a building piece around himself. Ego clash.
Well if he would have played nice this off-season they would still be a playoff team so I don’t think it would be nothing that Minnesota would have gained from him playing out his contract this year. So don’t get to carried away saying he did minnesota any favors. Also he Could have waited til mid season to request a trade and still got what he wanted without turning the team into a cheesy soap opera.
Agree, the FO is the problem, not Butler. I think promises were made to Towns that the FO needs to act on. It’s not that hard, Butler is still well appreciated.
The fans feel frustrated with Butler’s trade demands so it’s a wash
What are teams in China offering?
Six day old eggroll & bag of fortune cookie
Fortunately for so many of these guys in the NBA, teams are run like kindergarten so they’re under no obligation to act like grown adults.