The Timberwolves continue to focus on the Heat in Jimmy Butler trade talks and have informed other interested teams over the past 24 hours that their offers aren’t good enough, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Minnesota plans to hold onto Butler until it gets a deal it likes.
Miami has been close to working out a trade for Butler over the past several days and pushed the Wolves’ front office for a decision on its latest offer today, sources tell Wojnarowski. Butler reportedly wants to join the Heat and would be willing to re-sign with the organization when he opts out of his current deal next summer. He has also expressed interest in the Clippers, Nets and Knicks, who should all have enough money next year to offer a maximum deal to another free agent.
Minnesota has focused on Bam Adebayo, Josh Richardson and a protected first-rounder for 2019 in trade talks, Wojnarowski adds. The Wolves would also like to shed the contract of Gorgui Dieng, who is owed more than $48MM over the next three seasons. A larger deal involving more players or additional teams may be necessary to make the trade work.
The Rockets remain aggressive in their pursuit of Butler, even though they are already well into luxury tax territory. Like Miami, Houston won’t have cap room next summer and has no hope of acquiring Butler without a trade.
Butler hasn’t joined the Wolves for training camp, but coach/executive Tom Thibodeau plans to appeal for him to return when the team returns from its West Coast trip tomorrow, according to Wojnarowski. Butler still has soreness in his wrist following offseason surgery and hasn’t made a decision about when he might rejoin the team if no deal gets done. Sources told ESPN he won’t miss regular season games if he is healthy enough to play.
Butler has been working out at Minnesota’s practice facility and has remained in contact with several of his teammates.
Other teams tells wolves we will keep what we have and take our chances in free agency.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune has been printing pictures of Butler working out at gyms around the city. One guy video taped walking in and telling Butler that Woj said he’d been traded to Sacramento. Butler told him to get out.
Minnie will accept anything cheap come Feb anyways
Absolutely for a scrub a true absolute scrub like tyler Johnson due 40 million dollars over the next two years they are better off with nothing or if they must just taking him and whatever else a second before the deadline! But right now trading for tyler Johnson would be stupid!
I’ll let you read this from the Minneapolis Star Tribune- Preseason may tell us something about the Butler trade.
I would like to speak for the Heat. No deal. Richardson and Bam are non-movers. Call us when your desperation kicks in
My thoughts exactly
They will call back when heat quit trying to sell wolves on taking that absolutely scrub tyler Johnson and the 40 million still owed to him! When pat riley stops acting stupid they will probably find some common ground around winslow
You’ve never seen Tyler Johnson play a single basketball game
Thats Nerlens Noel, he watches every game because he’s on the bench not playing.
I don’t think I’ve seen one report with his Tyler’s name mentioned, he has an unfavorable contract, we all get that. I think Winslow is on the table, he has an upcoming contract decision and the Heat can’t keep shelling out money, so I don’t think they’re acting stupid, they know Butler’s value currently stands as a one year player who doesn’t want to be a TWolve and doesn’t gel with the team. Heat have the upperhand. They don’t need Butler to reach the playoffs and the crapshoot as to how far that journey goes from there. The players they have can reach those heights
@Arthur Hill & Luke Adams. azcentral.com says Devin Booker had splint removed from his hand Wednesday and is doing well.
Min should take Gordon and tucker ffs. A premier 6th man and a top notch defender? Won’t matter though thibs will just ride the crap out of his former Bulls. Betcha I’d the heat offered wade and a protected 2nd they’d jump all over despite how fn stupid that would be.
Jesus just offer butler to the Knicks for Noah and get it over with. Wolves are morons. I see towns and Wiggins gone by 21.
Smh seriously though, an office that can’t get their ish together and a player who can’t get along with younger talent? I mean, towns was voted last year by players as one of the top guys to build your team around, all of a sudden he gets no votes after butler arrives. I’m glad Boston didn’t get him. I was sympathetic towards the way he got traded from Chicago but c’mon. Uou want a max contract but asked to sit out the all star game. Eff off Jimmy. Your cameo on office Xmas party is gonna be the only thing I ever watch with you in it unless you’re asking to sit on the bench to rest against Boston.
If there is no 3rd team, Whiteside and Richardson for Dieng and Butler works on the trade machine. I think Thibs is trying to recoup everything he lost to Chicago.
Whats the current offer?? Adebayo, Richardson and 1 Round pick for Dieng and Butler???
No. Miami said no to that
James Johnson, Kelly Olynyk, Dion Waiters and 2019 1st round pick for Butler and Dieng
As a Heat fan, I’m cool with any combination involving future picks, Whiteside, Waiters, James Johnson, Olynyk, Derrick Jones, McGruder and then Dragic, Bam or Winslow if necessary. I wouldnt be willing to move anyone else.
I would do Justise or Bam if absolutely necessary, but not both. I wouldnt want to lose both James Johnson and Justise Winslow though, and if I’m including 1 of Winslow or Bam, I wouldnt want to include a draft pick, especially if still taking back Dieng, unless maybe Minnesota included Okogie or KBD in return.
If Thibodeau wants to be salty Butler is leaving, let him be. Dont have to give in, and as time goes by, their options will diminish. I also wouldnt mind seeing what this Heat team can do if they can finally stay healthy, and then they’ll have a bunch of expiring salary to deal from next year
Dude u literally just mentioned 11 guys off the roster u would b ok trading. Who’s that leave?! Tyler Johnson?
Richardson, Tyler Johnson, and whoever is ineligible to be moved at the moment, like Ellington, Wade, and UD. Why does that matter?
This is going to be the same situation as Kahwi. The teams initially interested are going to shut down talks because Minnesota is being ridiculous, and a desperate team is probably going to overpay and take a risk trying to coving Butler to stay. Either way, it’s going to take way too long.
*convince
You know playing in the NBA is a privilege and honor your contract, if you don’t like it go play over seas tired of these players always wanting more and more let him sit out and take his money and help our disabled
stubby says, typing from his chair while soldiers die overseas. Shame on you, stubby,
I don’t think desperation will kick for Minnesota. Butlers value to teams will be Exactly the same tomorrow as it will be in February. Other teams who want to beat the Warriors will be the ones getting desperate and driving up Butlers price at the deadline.
The heat make no sense to acquire Butler since they are a young team which look like Minnesota without the old Bulls teammates hanging around. Say what you want about the young talent in Miami being “hard workers” but no one was saying the Wolves core was lazy before Butler arrived either.
Ya they were. Andrew Wiggins doesnt care
I think it’s fair to be critical of Wiggins… but I think saying that he doesn’t care and that’s he’s lazy etc is taking things a bit far.
It’s not his fault he was given a huge contract.
Is he living up to being the #1 overall pick? No. Did he live up to being the #1 prep player in college for his one year? No.
Maybe he just is what he is: a gifted athletic player whose game has flaws and who can’t quite put things together against the best basketball players in the world.
I’m disappointed that he doesn’t play for the Canadian national team – it seems like that would be a great opportunity for him to grow his game.
But now he’s stuck just being a DeRozan-lite. Athletic scorer who can’t hit 3s with suspect defense. Except he lacks the extreme work-ethic of DD. Far from ideal at that pay-rate, of course. But at some point, you are who you are as a basketball player.
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
I don’t necessarily disagree, but maybe we’ve just blown up Wiggins’ potential to a level that he’ll just never get to?
Talent has a way of showing up, and perhaps all of his athletic gifts have had us overlook his inability to think the game at a high level. And perhaps what looks like a low-motor/effort level to us, is really just his inability to make his athletic gifts work against the high level of competition in the NBA.
All of the questions about his game now are the same ones about his game in the NCAA.
I really thought he was going to be a superstar, but maybe I need to stop looking at all the reasons he *could* be great, and just acknowledge that he is who he is.
Maybe for all the hard work he’s putting in (or not putting in?), he just doesn’t have the right mix of tools to be as good as we keep thinking he could be.
If it was as easy as “work harder,” then we’d see a lot more guys shooting 40%+ from 3. I think that it’s just hard to be a star in today’s ultra-athletic NBA.
I thought he was a much better and willing defender in college. Also, I see what you’re saying, but when I watch him play now, you can see he oozes talent. I agree that a lot of his issues are mentally, but that’s what we’re kind of talking about here, in regards to (what we’re assuming are) Butler’s feelings about him. I also think that if he was working as hard as he should, there would be some improvement. Player development is big in this league, and there are countless examples around the league. The Heat themselves are a great example of that
Great point on him oozing talent… just maybe the “eye test” is deceiving?
Guarding at the college level is one thing – Wiggins was probably the most athletic player in the NCAA for his one year. But in the NBA? Everyone’s big, fast, strong, and driven.
I think that there’s definitely something to be said for Wiggins not getting the most of out his opportunities, but maybe it’s just that he’s not able to do that. Maybe he just lacks the mental fortitude or ability to think the game at a high speed.
Whatever it is, there’s definitely something missing.
The Heat are a great example of a team that drafts players that are capable of improving. Same with the Raptors. There’s something those scouting staffs are seeing that other teams are missing, and there’s something to be said for the quality of their player development systems too.
Going back to my “DeRozan-lite” comment… DeRozan has this amazing drive and desire to do everything he can to get better. Judging by his skill set from when he first came into the league, he has no business being an NBA All-Star. But he just works and works and works.
Even with all that work, he still hasn’t been able to fix his 3pt shot.
From the eye-test, there’s no reason he’s not a better 3pt shooter (great form, lift, ft%, shoots well from just inside the line) – but he just can’t put it together.
Being a great NBA player is really, really hard.
And it seems unlikely now that Wiggins will ever be a great NBA player. Quality starter that makes an All-Star team once or twice? Maybe.
I feel like we’re talking about different things here. For as much as I’m not a fan of DeRozan, you mentioned it. He at least plays. For me Wiggins disappears or is non existant in the first place. Its reminiscent of Whiteside and how he quits. It doesnt look like he even likes basketball
I probably just typed too much…
Mostly, I’m trying to say this:
Maybe it’s not that Wiggins disappears or doesn’t like basketball. Maybe it’s just that he’s not capable of being better than he is.
He looks like he should be able to get better – but looks can be deceiving.
Or something like that.
It could just be that he doesn’t work as hard as other players. Or it could be that he’s working really hard, and he’s just not capable of getting over the hump.
You can always get better. That doesnt necessarily mean superstardom. You can always play hard. That’s what I’m talking about. Everyone is capable of playing hard. It’s the only thing you can control
Butler, to me, seems like a player who’s very hard to get along with.
I don’t mind difficult personalities – especially when they inspire others to work harder.
But at some point being difficult is a detriment to a team winning.
I think he needs to be on a team with some strong leaders to keep him in line. Minny does not have that – I think they hoped he’d be a strong leader, but that’s just not who Jimmy is.
Okay, they’ll throw in a membership to the Hair Club for Men.
I think beyond the Miami stuff, these are reasonable.
Blazers Get: Butler & Dieng
Wolves Get: McCollum & Harkless
Raptors Get: Ibaka, Green, Anunoby
Wolves Get: Butler, Dieng
OKC Gets: Butler
Wolves Get: Roberson, Abrines, Patterson
Wiz Get: Butler
Wolves Get: Beal
Philly Gets: Butler, Bates-Diop
Wolves Get: Chandler, Covington, Zhaire Smith
You an OKC fan? Awful offer
Raptors not enough either.
I don’t think there are any OKC fans that comment on hoopsrumors.
You got a downvote… an okc fan checking in probably… but no comment!
Well Roberson is injured, that would be pretty distressing.
These actually look pretty close to me… might need some picks included in some of the offers, but taking on Dieng’s contract is a huge minus.
What’s most likely going to need to happen is a 3 team trade so they can get a player and picks
Nets get: Butler and Dieng
Suns get: Carroll and Dinwiddle
Wolves get: Crabbe, Bender, TJ warren and a 1st
I wonder how steamed the Butler camp is at Thibs (possibly for Richardson, Adebayo, and a protected 2019 1st round pick) for having a deal done then adding more. Then Thibs again says he wants Butler in camp for the start of the season. They’ve been saying Thibs has no intention of trading Butler. Kind of looks that way. What happens if Butler takes the court and everyone boos. Thibs will say we have no distractions here. When does the owner step in?
NESN and SB Nation say this too. Here’s an idea for a poll: Will Butler be playing for Minnesota when they open against San Antonio?
I’d vote “no”
This situation is a complete gong-show.
A bunch of fools making foolish decisions.
If Butler wanted to be traded, he needed to express that before the draft. Though, in fairness to him, it sounds like he tried to express this over a month ago. Still, that’s too late.
But Minny should have already traded him anyways. Clearly this wasn’t working with Butler and Minny’s other players.
But this is what you get when you hire Thibbs. And this is what you get when you make a coach also the GM.
There’s really no way this can end well for the Wolves organization. They need to dump their decision makers and start fresh with a GM and coach who can actually do something with this roster.
Every trade that has been reported by a credible source is not worth taking for the Wolves, largely because comparable deals will be available at the deadline. However, if they wait, they might run into a much better deal if there’s an injury or a team who’s desperate.
I would guess that the sixers get involved at the deadline when they realize they would have a legitimate chance at the finals by adding Butler to Simmons and Embid. Maybe then they’d send Fultz, Covington and others for Butler and Dieng.
You could be right, but you’re assuming a lot of things.
For the trade offers to be “comparable” at the deadline, we’re assuming that Butler returns at full health, plays well, and that the Wolves locker room doesn’t completely collapse on itself.
There are lots of reasons to think that waiting until February will actually result in *far worse* offers.
If Minny can get Fultz – even with all of his question marks – in a deal for Jimmy, they should do it. I don’t think Brand would do that deal though. I’m mostly certain that Brand wouldn’t take on Dieng while also sending out Fultz (unless Fultz flops again this year, then they’ll be trading him to get any value back from a team that thinks they can fix his broken jump shot).
Sorry Fultz shouldn’t be on the table for any version of a Butler trade. Butler is going to walk anyway. This is a 1-year rental.
I’m pretty down on this situation, but I find it fascinating. I really thought Butler would be traded a full week ago.
For Wolves fans: What do you see as the best case scenario moving forward?
Jerry Reinsdorf sues Thibs for infringing on the copyrights protecting the 2011 Bulls yearbook.
^^^This comments wins the internet for the week.
Butler, Dieng for Winslow, whiteside and adebayo