Jimmy Butler stressed team unity in an interview with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports and said he doesn’t think he’s taking that away from the Timberwolves.
It has been more than six weeks since Butler issued his trade request, and he continues to pressure Minnesota’s front office to make a deal. There have been reports of unorthodox behavior since then, including challenging teammates and management at his first practice, but Butler insists that nothing has affected the bond in the locker room.
“They can write whatever they want, they can say whatever they want and I can address it the way that I want to,” he said after Friday’s loss at Golden State. “But at the end of the day, I go to war with my guys. Those are my guys. We’re out there trying to win. Nothing is going to come between us. I’m going to play the right way, do what I do, and they know that. They know that.”
The latest Butler-related incident was his decision to skip Wednesday’s game due to “general soreness and precautionary rest.” While it was viewed at first as another possible ploy to force the team into a trade, Butler was back on the court yesterday.
The Wolves have back-to-back road games tomorrow against the Trail Blazers and Monday against the Clippers, and Butler told Nick Friedell of ESPN that he hasn’t decided whether he will play in both.
“I let them know,” Butler said. “They don’t know how my body feels. So if I’m nicked up, then you can count on that. I don’t know. We’ll see how it goes. I don’t know what we plan on doing tomorrow. Obviously, I got to get some treatment along with a lot of other guys. But we’ll see whenever Sunday and Monday gets here.”
[UPDATE: Butler won’t play on Sunday]
Minnesota is continuing to listen to trade offers for Butler, with the Rockets and Heat considered to be the most aggressive and the Sixers and Lakers also believed to be in the running. Coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau has reportedly been sending mixed messages to interested teams, leading some to believe that the Wolves haven’t gotten serious yet about completing a deal.
Well the T wolves Suck and he is a big reason that they Suck
Obviously don’t watch basketball that much
Thibs continues to go to the well looking for more and more – eventually, the well is going to run dry. The longer he stays in MIN due to Thibs’ greed, the closer he is to something such as an injury, or an of court issue that causes significant damage to his trade value.
Right now, all of this off court garbage is minor individually, but collectively they add up to a big problem. Eventually, his teammates are going to run out of patience for his antics, and there will be consequences.
Considering Butlet is a disgruntled player, in a contract year, with zero history of playing winning, meaningful basketball, it’s a minor miracle that Thibs has been offered what he has so far – take it, before it all falls apart.
Sure, he’s good for team… certainly not a distraction with his moaning and crying or by not playing when the little prissy cry baby wants. His simpleminded attitude is not helping his trade value. He should be out there balling like there is no tomorrow. This shows how wrong Thibs was on him. This shows how Thibs has no business running or coaching a team. And this finally proves how the owner has absolutely no business owning an nba franchise. He has already wasted a once in generation talent in Garnett. Wasted how many years and picks with a gm named kahn. And now he betrays the legacy of Saunders with thibs. What a f….. waste!!!
Phenomenal post, Minnesota management has always been absolute hot garbage. From drafting McCants to bringing in Olowokandi, the only good thing they’ve done is bring in Cassell and Sprewell for Garnett 2004 and they almost made the Finals.
Don’t forget bringing Saunders back. He had minny on the right track.
One can only wonder where the team would be if Flip were still around.
The frustrating thing about Thibs is he is an elite x & o’s coach but his inability to communicate with players and him burning them out is his downfall. He should spend 2 seasons with the Spurs and learn something.
Of course he doesn’t believe he is a distraction. Hitler didn’t believe he was evil either. You do not get to judge whether you are distraction to others, they do.
Good stuff.
“If Jimmy gets traded, Thibs will be the fall guy.” Supposedly Taylor is already looking for new front office people next season.
I don’t like Thibs either but I feel like this is a pretty extreme metaphor
Google Jimmy Butler waving towel after game with Warriors (CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, 247 Sports) if you want to see Jimmy being a distraction. He was sitting on bench and waving his towel in unison with the Warriors fan, laughing and having a good time. He’d just shot 0-8 in the Timberwolves loss from 3 point range.
Make that fans. It is kind of funny.
It’s honestly hilarious Jimmy is my favorite player now
Lavine/Dunn/Markannen/cap space > Butler
Smfh after tonight’s performance by Meyers Leonard send him and 4 1st rounders (hell maybe even 12 of them) to Minny for Butler, take back Gieng’s contract, do whatever you have to do to make sure Meyers Leonard and Caleb Swanigan never play 1 more minute in a Trail Blazers uniform. I am not about to let the best team we’ve had in 16 years miss the playoffs because of MEYERS and CALEB smh two future G-League MVPs who don’t deserve to step one foot onto an NBA court
“I’m not a distraction, I just want to get out of here,” Butler screamed at the top of his lungs across the locker room
Delusional people rarely see that they are delusional