The Minnesota Timberwolves are a bit of a trainwreck right now.
Between head coach Tom Thibodeau and stars Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Andrew Wiggins, there’s a giant clash of egos that doesn’t seem to be going away. Now, it appears Butler wants out completely.
The Timberwolves traded for Butler last Summer, sending Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and Lauri Markkanen to the Chicago Bulls in exchange. Butler’s arrival in Minnesota helped, as the team reached the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons. They even offered Butler a four-year, $110 million contract extension, but he turned it down in search of a max deal next offseason.
But who knows where he’ll be playing by then.
Jimmy Butler has requested a trade from the Timberwolves, league sources tell me and @ShamsCharania. Butler has given Minnesota a list of 1-3 teams with which he is open to signing a contract extension.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) September 19, 2018
I'm told Jimmy Butler's decision had very little if anything to do with Towns and Wiggins. More to do with contractual matters.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) September 19, 2018
The list of teams, according to Adrian Wojnarowski, is a bit strange too.
Minnesota's Jimmy Butler has three preferred destinations for a trade, league sources tell ESPN: The Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks. Those three teams have max cap space to sign Butler as a free agent in July.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 19, 2018
None of those teams are particularly good right now, but as Woj points out, they all have the cap space to make sure Butler gets PAID. The NBA season tips off on October 16, just less than a month away.
