Jimmy Butler and the Minnesota Timberwolves
Who knows what’s happening up in Minnesota? Because I don’t.
Somehow, three weeks after his original trade request and amidst crumbling teammate relationships, Jimmy Butler is still on this Timberwolves team. He was nearly out the door in a deal with the Miami Heat, but those talks fell apart at the last second.
And while there’s still the possibility that the two-way star returns to Minnesota this year, that possibility continues to seem less and less likely.
He did not attend training camp. He has not played in any of the team’s preseason games. And just today, Butler “reiterated” his trade request to the Wolves. Clearly, he wants out of there. It seems all but a matter of time for Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor to take over the situation from Tom Thibodeau and find a way to send Jimmy out of town.
Although Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, especially, are good and young players who figure to become even better this upcoming season, the Wolves will almost certainly be weaker without Jimmy Buckets.
After Butler suffered a knee injury on February 24, the Wolves were forced to play 17 games without him this past season. They went 8-9 without him, a pace for about 39 wins.
The Wolves could definitely end up at or a few games below .500 without Butler at the helm – and in the West, 40-ish wins is a recipe for tenth.
Watch for the Blazers stay out in front of this Minnesota team this year.