Minnesota Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler has become increasingly frustrated with the organization; should the Portland Trail Blazers trade CJ McCollum for him and go all-in this season?
It’s no secret that plenty of analysts are predicting not only stagnation but regression with this current Portland Trail Blazers team. Though they won 49 games last year and placed third in the West, they’re projected to win only 43 games this upcoming season and miss the playoffs.
Some believe the Rip City duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum have hit their ceiling.
Lillard is coming off a career-year (26.9 PPG, 6.6 APG, 4.5 RPG) in which he was named to his third All-Star team and his first ever First Team All-NBA. His immense impact and importance to the franchise – along with his desire to remain a Blazer for life – makes him practically untouchable.
McCollum, however, is not so locked up. While he is undoubtedly a premier offensive talent, some have wondered if Dame would be better paired with a more defensive-minded star who can still create for himself in a multitude of ways offensively.
And there may not be a better player to fit this description than Minnesota Timberwolves star, Jimmy Butler.
Why Jimmy Butler is on the table
Throughout much of Butler’s Timberwolves tenure, he has been disgruntled by his younger teammates. To him, there’s something lacking in their work ethic and hunger for winning.
In late April, he told the Chicago Sun-Times:
"“I just don’t think there have been many people that have understood how important winning is to me, man. I just had a conversation about that very thing with somebody — not important who — but I put so much into this game, and I only play to win.”"
Soon, it came out that he had no intention of signing his extension with the Wolves this summer. Butler’s discontentment in Minnesota has only grown.
And now, it may be coming to a head.
On September 15, The Athletic’s John Krawczynski reported that Butler and Timberwolves Head Coach Tom Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden on September 17 to “have honest conversations about the All-Star’s future with the team.”
Jimmy Butler will meet with Tom Thibodeau and Scott Layden on Monday to "have honest conversations about the All-Star's future with the team," sources tell @TheAthleticMIN. Story upcoming.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) September 15, 2018
Though Butler is on contract for two more years, the second year is a player-option. If Thibodeau and Layden feel Butler will not commit to the Wolves past this year, they may be pressured into trading their superstar to recoup some value before losing him for nothing.