Jimmy Butler Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Wolves Notes: Butler, Thibodeau, Wiggins

September 30th, 2018 at 4:21pm CST by JD Shaw

The Timberwolves have yet to move All-Star shooting guard Jimmy Butler in a trade, keeping a distraction on their roster one game into the preseason and almost a week after the team’s media day. Butler requested a trade in early September after spending just one season with the team, with head coach Tom Thibodeau now focused on making sure his players don’t get distracted.

“That’s the NBA. That’s part of everyone’s job,” Thibodeau said, according to Chris Hine of the Star Tribune. “Don’t allow yourself to be distracted. You have to be focused on what your job is. My job is to do what’s best for the Timberwolves and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Minnesota’s asking price for Butler is said to be steep, with the team reportedly seeking quality veterans, future assets and cap relief. The idea of losing Butler, a longtime teammate of Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson, and other members of the Timberwolves, could make for a period of adjustment in the coming weeks.

“That’s part of being a pro,” Thibodeau said. “So in this league there could be distractions every day if you allow it, so it’s important to understand how to approach your job and I think we have a good mix of veterans who have been through it and they understand how important training camp is and getting ready for the season.”

There’s more from the Timberwolves:

Butler’s trade request comes at a time when the team still has unfinished work, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com writes.
The Timberwolves will need more production from Andrew Wiggins this season in order to be successful, Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune details.
Thibodeau will attempt to move forward after a forgettable offseason, writes ESPN’s Nick Friedell. “He’s been doing a good job of maintaining and doing the right things for the guys that are here,” Gibson said of the Wolves’ head coach and president of basketball operations.

Rockets Making Strong Effort To Land Jimmy Butler

September 27th, 2018 at 11:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets are making a “strong effort” to acquire Jimmy Butler in a trade with the Timberwolves, sources tell Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link). Berman’s report comes after ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski indicated on Wednesday that Houston was pursuing Butler.

Wojnarowski, who suggested that the Rockets were “trying to be creative” as they explored trade possibilities for Butler, wrote that it would be tricky for the club to pull off a deal for the All-NBA wing without involving a third team. Berman, meanwhile, doesn’t offer much in the way of specifics.

It’s hard to imagine Houston being able to trade for Butler without giving up Eric Gordon, whose $13MM+ salary would make for a good salary-matching piece and whose ability to make an immediate impact might appeal to Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau. The Rockets also have full control over their future first-round picks, though the value of their 2019 selection would be limited, since it’s likely to fall in the late-20s.

Although the Rockets are apparently pushing to land Butler, they’re not the only team involved. Wojnarowski’s report on Thursday named the Clippers and Cavaliers as other clubs in the mix, with the Heat still considered the most aggressive suitors. The Wizards and Mavericks have also gauged the asking price on Butler, while the Nets have interest but haven’t engaged Minnesota recently, per Woj.

Here’s more on Butler:

The Heat are open to the idea of taking on Gorgui Dieng‘s contract from the Timberwolves “under the right circumstances,” according to Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski indicates that potential trade partners are skeptical of Thibodeau’s willingness to move Butler, since he’s making counter-offers he knows would never be accepted. In an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer provided an example, reporting that the Timberwolves asked for Ben Simmons when they made a counter-offer to the Sixers (hat tip to Dane Delgado of NBC Sports). We passed along a report earlier today suggesting that Philadelphia has since pulled out of the Butler sweepstakes.
The Nuggets were mentioned several days ago as a potential dark horse for Butler, but T.J. McBride of Mile High Sports hears that Denver views Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Gary Harris as “untouchable” (hat tip to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports). A trade for an All-Star like Butler is probably a long shot without any of those players involved.
Earlier today, we relayed an update on the Kings‘ potential involvement in the Butler talks — Sacramento is still interested in getting involved as a facilitator, but will be cautious about adding too much multiyear money to its cap.

Pacific Notes: Ball, James, Kings, Cousins

September 27th, 2018 at 8:04pm CST by JD Shaw

Lonzo Ball has returned to full-contact practice with the Lakers, the team posted on social media. His status for Sunday’s preseason opener against the Nuggets is uncertain, but he was able to play through practice Thursday on the third day of the team’s training camp.

Ball, the second pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, underwent arthroscopy surgery on his left knee in July. The operation was conducted to repair a torn meniscus suffered last spring, with Ball now focused on his second season as a member of the Lakers.

“Lonzo practiced in full today,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said. “He looked really good. It was good to see him out there cutting, making his reads and his passes.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Despite having a talented roster, Lakers forward LeBron James knows there’s still plenty of work to do before catching the Warriors. “We got a long way to go to get to Golden State,” James said, according to USA TODAY’s Josh Peter. “They could pick up right where they left off starting with training camp if they start today. We’re picking up from scratch, so we have a long way to go.”
The Kings remain interested in serving as a third team in any Jimmy Butler deal, tweets Sam Amick of USA TODAY. Sacramento is willing to take on a bad contract, but the team will be cautious with its future cap flexibility.
New Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins published a piece on The Players’ Tribune about why he chose to sign with Golden State this offseason. “It was the best basketball decision I ever made,” Cousins wrote.

Woj: Wolves’ Asking Price For Butler Too High

September 27th, 2018 at 11:25am CST by Arthur Hill

11:25am: Butler hasn’t joined the Wolves for training camp yet and has asked to sit out until he has been traded, Wojnarowski and Lowe report in a full story.

8:51am: Little progress has been made in Jimmy Butler trade talks because teams believe the Timberwolves are asking too much in return, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Minnesota owner Glen Taylor hopes to get a deal get done soon, but the organization is holding out for an offer that provides quality veterans, top prospects, future assets and cap relief. The price has been too high so far for all the teams interested in Butler, including the Heat, who are said to be the most aggressive. Because Miami is well over the cap, it is unable to offer anything in the way of cap relief, notes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link).

Sources tell Wojnarowski they’re skeptical that coach/executive Tom Thibodeau wants to part with Butler, even after Taylor’s mandate. ESPN colleague Zach Lowe adds that it’s not possible to exaggerate “how volatile things are in Minnesota right now.” (Twitter link)

Wojnarowski also reported last night that the Suns, who are in the market for a point guard, looked into getting involved to help facilitate a three-team trade, but decided what the Wolves were asking was “far too steep” (Twitter link). There hasn’t been any communication about sending Jeff Teague or Goran Dragic to Phoenix, but that could still happen if Minnesota and Miami make progress on trade talks.

It has been nine days since Butler met with Minnesota’s front office and issued his trade request. Taylor wanted to get a deal done quickly to “avoid a circus” in training camp, but the situation doesn’t appear close to a resolution. Miami is reportedly Butler’s first choice among trading partners, but so far that hasn’t made a difference.

Sixers Notes: Butler, Chandler, Brand

September 27th, 2018 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers have pulled out of Jimmy Butler trade talks and weren’t able to make any progress after initial discussions with the Timberwolves, tweets Sam Amick of The Athletic. Amick confirms reports that Minnesota’s asking price for Butler is very high and implies that Philadelphia decided it wasn’t worth trying to meet it.

The Sixers weren’t on the list of preferred locations that Butler gave the Wolves’ front office, but they were among roughly 20 teams that contacted Minnesota once it became clear he was available. Philadelphia is in the market for a third star to team with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons and has a variety of assets to offer up in trade talks.

There’s more today from Philadelphia:

The Sixers didn’t make the big splash they were hoping for this summer through trades or free agency, but the deal that brought Wilson Chandler from the Nuggets should help, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Chandler can play both forward positions and is versatile enough to defend shooting guards. Philadelphia is counting on him to match up with the Celtics’ wing players, who got the the basket easily in last year’s postseason series. “He’s sort of a quiet achiever, but he’s physical,” coach Brett Brown said. “I had players like [him in] Luc Mbah a Moute. Those modern-day playoff guys that can [be] versatile and tough. The Morris twins [Marcus and Markieff] are similar. They can come in and just be very versatile.”
New Sixers general manager Elton Brand was offered an assistant GM job with the Hawks after the 2014/15 season, he said during an appearance on a podcast with ESPN’s Zach Lowe. Brand opted to wait for another chance to play and eventually signed with Philadelphia, where he got into 17 games the following season, but served mostly in a mentor’s role. That led to a chance to run the organization’s G League team, which eventually landed him his current job.
All Sixers players were given specific offseason objectives to reach with the goal of making the NBA Finals, according to Sarah Todd of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Those ranged from shooting improvements for Simmons and Markelle Fultz to a weight management plan for 14-year veteran Amir Johnson.

Heat Now Atop Jimmy Butler’s Wish List?

September 26th, 2018 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

4:57pm: According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Heat have been the most engaged team with the Wolves on a potential Butler trade. Meanwhile, neither the Clippers nor Nets have gained much traction on a potential deal. Also, the Rockets have apparently joined the sweepstakes, but it will be a significant challenge to pursue Butler without a third team.

8:50am: Jimmy Butler and agent Bernie Lee have informed Timberwolves ownership that the Heat are the 29-year-old’s preferred trade destination, league sources tell Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link). It’s an apparent change of course for Butler, whose initial wish list included the Clippers, Nets, and Knicks, but not Miami.

We heard earlier this week that the Heat had been as aggressive as any team in their pursuit of Butler, and Stein reiterates that point today, noting that more than 20 teams have at least inquired with the Timberwolves about their All-NBA wing (Twitter link). According to Stein, the Heat – like many teams – have found it hard to get the Wolves to clearly communicate their intentions and their asking price, but Miami is a landing spot that “strongly appeals” to Butler.

The Heat would be an interesting trade partner for the Timberwolves, whose head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau wants to remain in win-now mode rather than acquiring exclusively draft picks and young prospects in a Butler deal. Miami would like to hang onto Josh Richardson and Bam Adebayo, but could put Justise Winslow and/or a 2019 first-round pick on the table. The Heat are also carrying several veterans whose contracts would align well with Butler’s for salary-matching purposes.

If Miami – or any other team – acquires Butler in a trade, his Bird rights would be dealt along with him, giving his new club the ability to offer a five-year deal worth up to a projected $190MM in free agency next summer.

While a Butler trade still appears likely to happen sooner rather than later, a pair of Tuesday reports indicated that teams with interest in the four-time All-Star have been receiving mixed signals from the Timberwolves on what kind of assets they value. Clubs who have spoken to the Wolves are also confused about whether to deal with owner Glen Taylor or front office execs Thibodeau and Scott Layden, since there’s a perception that the management and ownership groups may not be in agreement on the structure and timetable of a potential trade.

Suns’ Search For Point Guard Could Overlap With Butler Sweepstakes

September 26th, 2018 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns‘ pursuit of a point guard on the trade market could result in them getting involved in the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes as a facilitator, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Keith Smith of RealGM.com first reported (via Twitter) that the Suns, like the Kings, were open to the idea of helping facilitate a three-team Butler trade.

As Wojnarowski details, if the Timberwolves and Heat were to make a trade involving Butler and Goran Dragic, it could open the door for Minnesota to send Jeff Teague to Phoenix as part of the deal. The Suns are also known to have inquired on backup Wolves point guard Tyus Jones. It’s not clear how interested the Suns would be in landing Dragic – who has already had two stints in Phoenix – as part of a three-team trade with Minnesota and Miami, but that could also be an avenue the team explores.

The Kings may make a bit more sense than Phoenix as a third team in a potential Butler trade, since they have $11MM in cap room to work with, putting them in a better position to accommodate an unwanted contract. However, Sacramento would likely be after a first-round pick. The Suns are over the cap and would need to match salaries in any deal, perhaps using expiring contracts like Tyson Chandler‘s ($13.59MM) or Darrell Arthur‘s ($7.46MM).

The Suns have been on the lookout for a point guard since moving Brandon Knight to Houston in a trade last month. Besides Teague and Jones, some of the point guards cited as potential trade targets for Phoenix include Patrick Beverley, Cory Joseph, and Spencer Dinwiddie.

Jimmy Butler Rumors: Taylor, Thibodeau, Mavs

September 25th, 2018 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier today, there has been some confusion among potential Jimmy Butler suitors who have spoken to the Timberwolves, since it’s not clear if Minnesota’s ownership and management groups are on the same page when it comes to a Butler trade. Over at The Athletic, Jon Krawczynski’s latest report on the Butler situation touches many of the same bases that Wojnarowski’s did, with a few new details included.

After Tom Thibodeau met with Butler in the hopes of convincing him to report to the Timberwolves, Butler sought out owner Glen Taylor to receive assurances that the club was actually making “good faith efforts” to trade him, sources tell Krawczynski.

According to Krawczynski’s report, Butler’s camp has conveyed his dissatisfaction with the situation in Minnesota throughout the offseason — his representatives talked to Thibodeau in July about the 29-year-old’s unwillingness to re-sign long-term with the franchise, and Butler conveyed that same message to the head coach in August when Thibodeau visited him in California. However, there’s no indication that Butler requested a trade until last week.

Here are a few more of the latest items on Butler:

Asked again today about Butler, Thibodeau sounded more open than ever to the idea of moving on from his All-NBA swingman. “We’re going to honor his request,” Thibodeau said, per Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (video link). “But we’re not going to do a bad deal. … We’re trying to make the best deal for the Timberwolves. … That’s what my job is. That’s what [GM] Scott [Layden]‘s job is. Obviously, a move of this magnitude, Glen’s involved in it too.”
Despite Thibodeau saying the right things about Butler publicly, Chris Hine of The Star Tribune hears from a source that the Timberwolves‘ head coach and president of basketball operations remains reluctant to make a deal.
It’s probably safe to cross the Mavericks off the list of possible suitors for Butler, according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News, who hears from a high-ranking Mavs official that “he’s not coming here.”
Thibodeau took a risk on Butler and got burned, writes Chip Scoggins of The Star Tribune, noting that the “clock is ticking” on Thibs to prove that he can make Plan B work for the Timberwolves.

Kings Open To Facilitating Three-Team Butler Trade

September 25th, 2018 at 9:27am CST by Luke Adams

Only one NBA team still has any real cap space available for the 2018/19 season, and that team – Sacramento – is keeping a close eye on the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com. According to Wojnarowski, the Kings have been “aggressive” in courting both the Timberwolves and potential Butler suitors, offering to use their cap room to accommodate unwanted contracts.

As Wojnarowski explains, the Kings – who have about $11MM in cap space – don’t have their own first-round pick for 2019, but could be in position to acquire another team’s first-rounder or other assets as part of a three-way Butler swap. Sacramento assistant GM Brandon Williams has let teams know that his club isn’t opposed to taking on multiyear contracts, whether that means Gorgui Dieng‘s deal or perhaps a pricey contract from a potential Wolves trade partner like the Heat, Clippers, or Nets.

While the Kings don’t have enough cap room to absorb, say, Dieng’s $15MM+ salary on its own, the club could send out any number of expiring contracts to make the math work. Zach Randolph ($11.7MM), Iman Shumpert ($11MM), Kosta Koufos ($8.74MM), and Ben McLemore ($5.46MM) are among the Sacramento veterans on expiring deals.

As the Kings explore ways to get involved in a possible Butler deal, teams interested in acquiring the All-Star wing have been receiving mixed signals from the Timberwolves on what kind of assets they value, sources tell Wojnarowski. According to ESPN’s report, clubs dealing with the Wolves are also confused about whether to deal with owner Glen Taylor or front office execs Tom Thibodeau and Scott Layden — there’s a perception that the management and ownership groups may not be in agreement on the structure and timetable of a potential trade.

Although Thibodeau tried on Monday to convince Butler to report to the team during the preseason, the 29-year-old remains adamantly opposed to ever practicing or playing with the Timberwolves again and has implored Thibodeau and Taylor to trade him soon to avoid prolonging the drama, writes Wojnarowski. While there has been some optimism among opposing teams that Minnesota will comply with that request, “renewed uncertainty and hazy chains of communication” have dominated recent talks, Woj adds.

Pistons Rumors: Drummond, Griffin, Jackson, Johnson

September 24th, 2018 at 10:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons center Andre Drummond doesn’t plan to shoot a lot of threes but he’s thrilled that new coach Dwane Casey has given him the green light, as he told the Detroit Free Press. Casey believes if Drummond hits a couple of long range shots every game, it will create more space for everyone offensively. “The 3-point shot is something I’ve added six years ago,” he said. “I just never had a coach that allowed to me to shoot it. It’s something I’ve worked on consistently for a long time, so I guess now is my time to really showcase it.” Frontcourt partner Blake Griffin doesn’t want Drummond to stray from the basket too often. “We still want to use Dre to his strengths because he’s one of the most dominant centers, one of the best finishers, one of the best rebounders,” Griffin said. “So it would be doing him a disservice to keep him away from the rim and doing the things he does best.”

We have more from the Pistons:

Both of Detroit’s top big men believe the team should set lofty goals. Griffin said homecourt advantage in the playoffs, at least for the opening round, should be the team’s regular-season aim. Drummond expects the Pistons to be serious contenders in the East. “The time is now,” he said. “We have everything we need to be great. There’s no reason why we can’t be a top team in the East or a top team in the NBA.”
Point guard Reggie Jackson (ankle), power forward Jon Leuer (knee) and shooting guard Luke Kennard (ankle) will be limited for the start of camp but all should be ready to play by opening night, according to senior advisor Ed Stefanski. “Those three are not in basketball shape,” Stefanski said.
Stefanski wouldn’t specifically address a question whether the team was interested in trading for Jimmy Butler but he noted the team has payroll limitations. However, he’s not averse to dealing for star players with expiring contracts. “That wouldn’t bother me,” he said. “It depends on what you have to give up.”
Small forward Stanley Johnson is eligible for an extension but the franchise is more focused on whether he’ll develop into a consistent performer. Johnson admits he still has a lot to prove. “(Owner) Tom (Gores) said, ‘I’m tired of hearing the word potential,'” Johnson said.