All-Stars and former USA Basketball teammates Jimmy Butler and Kyrie Irving are interested in figuring out a way to play together, a league source close to the situation tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
Both Butler and Irving were dealt to new teams in 2017 and thrived in those new homes during the 2017/18 season, so neither player is viewed as a trade candidate for the time being. However, both veterans hold player options for the 2019/20 season, meaning they could opt out and reach free agency at the same time a year from now.
Both Irving and Butler are eligible for contract extensions this summer, but are unlikely to sign them. A June report indicated that Irving won’t consider a new deal this offseason, since it wouldn’t make financial sense for the Celtics point guard to do so. Butler is in a similar boat for the Timberwolves, as he has the ability to make significantly more money if he waits for free agency.
Additionally, a league source tells Cowley that Butler has been “all but fed up with the nonchalant attitude of his younger teammates” in Minnesota. Cowley singles out Karl-Anthony Towns as a player who isn’t on the same page as the veteran forward, hinting that Butler’s end-of-season comments to the Sun-Times could have been aimed at KAT and other young teammates.
Butler said in late April that he doesn’t understand “how or why you all don’t love to get better the way that I do” and that he gets “lost in how everybody is not built the way that I’m built.”
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about unease in Minnesota related to the team’s three stars, Butler, Towns, and Andrew Wiggins. While there’s no indication that the Timberwolves need to take immediate steps to address any tension by moving one of those three players, the frequency of these reports is making it harder to envision them all staying with the franchise long term.
I think it’s much more likely he is fed up with Wiggins than KAT
get em both to philly
So you’re going to do what with Simmons? And how precisely will you fit them under the cap? Keep dreamin’ buddy.
They could gotten Lebron and Kawhi so why couldn’t they get Kyrie and butler
Because Kawahi would have been by trade, not FA.
No thanks.
get them both to philly
They most likely will go to knicks like kyrie has been saying
I pray this happens
Much like when I pray for a pet unicorn, I don’t think this is going to happen either.
Yup. Kyrie has targeted them, but the Knicks would have to figure out the cap room. They have enough for one max, and could move Noah in his final year attached with a player and draft picks.
I’m a Lakers fan so it doesn’t matter to me either way but I don’t see them going to the Celtics together. I can see them both going to the Knicks next off season. I actually hope that happens. Nothing like seeing the Celtics, Lakers and Knicks all relevant at the same time. The NBA needs it to happen. Porzingas, Butler and Kyrie would make for a good team I think. I hope it happens.
That would take some serious sweet talking to trade Noah’s contact though. Probably Hardaway’s too.
Can’t they stretch Noah’s contract? If they wait to do that until next off season it would give them even more flexibility than if they did it this off season. Sure they can trade Hardaway if they attach a pick since he’s not a bad player.
Atlanta will still be in a ramble of a mess, so will most likely take the bad contracts
Butler back to the Bulls next year. Said he wants to finish his career there. He’ll bring Kyrie with and the Bulls will move on from Dunn
Nah, I think they’ll end up w the Clippers next summer and LA will go nuts!
I don’t think then going to the Clippers. Maybe I’m wrong. But Kyrie wants to play for the Knicks and he and Butler want to play together. I see them going to the Knicks or the Bulls but definitely not the Clippers.
I can see Thompson going to the Clippers… but not Butler. Butler doesn’t seem to fit the mold of a Jerry West shooting guard.
Agreed.
Maybe even Deandre Jordan joins that party in New York.
Towns and Wiggins have the same problem. They could be Hall of famers and don’t even recognize it.
KAT is exponentially better than Wiggins. Obviously want to see more on defense from both, but I think KAT is even better offensively than he gets to show. He doesnt get enough touches. Butler and KAT would be a great tandem, if they had more toughness and wing shooting
Wiggins is more OJ Mayo than MJ.
The Cavs attempted to get Butler last summer, but someone (Kyrie?) told him not to go to the Cavs because they had a mess. Turns out Kyrie was right.
The untold story of how Kyrie kept major free agents from going to the cavs before he bailed once there were no more good options left…
Kyrie was traded
This happened before Kyrie got traded. Kyrie and Butler are good friends. Butler likes Chicago. If I’m betting money on them getting together, I’d bet on Chicago.
I’ll never understand why they gave Wiggins that contract. Never.
It’s what you do. It’s the nba structure, max out guys so they dont leave.
Screw it, both sign with the Warriors. Then instead of sending the US team in a couple years just send the Warriors
“a league source close to the situation” “league source tells Cowley”… in other words Butler venting again to his guy Cowley
So no chance Kyrie stays in Boston?
I think it’s more likely they both end up in Boston. They must realize they’ll need more than just the two of them to get past the warriors.
Warriors wont be around forever man. Just because they won and have secured Boogie still does not mean they are guaranteed to win anything. I can see this team imploding before too long
The Thibs experiment has failed. And as I’ve said from the very beginning: the Butler trade was a massive mistake. Why did they have to sacrifice being the best team in the West in 5 years just to make the 8th seed with a roster of disgruntled players.
With Markhanan, Dunn, and Lavine we theoretically could have competed for the 8th seed anyway!
Let’s pretend the signed Gibson and Teague and Crawford
Teague-Lavine-Wiggins-Markanan-Towns
With Kris Dunn, Taj Gibson, Tyus Jones, Jamal Crawford, Nemanja Bjelica, and Gorgui Diend in support. I believe this team would have won the 8th seed and then become contenders in 3 years and favorites in 5 years. We could have seen a next generation rivalry of the Bucks and Timberwolves.
But we were robbed of that. So it’s
time to fire Thibs, trade Butler, and attempt to move on from Gibson Teague and Dieng. Hell make a contract offer to Jabari Parker or Zach Lavine.
Amen brother. And we should have never swapped teague for rubio.
Agreed brother.
The Thibs experiment has failed. And as I’ve said from the beginning the Butler trade was a massive mistake: Why did they have to sacrifice being the best team in the West in 5 years just to make the 8th seed with a roster of disgruntled players.
With Markhanan, Dunn, and Lavine we theoretically could have competed for the 8th seed anyway!
Let’s pretend the signed Gibson and Teague and Crawford
Teague-Lavine-Wiggins-Markanan-Towns
With Kris Dunn, Taj Gibson, Tyus Jones, Jamal Crawford, Nemanja Bjelica, and Gorgui Diend in support. I believe this team would have won the 8th seed and then become contenders in 3 years and favorites in 5 years. We could have seen a next generation rivalry of the Bucks and Timberwolves.
But we were robbed of that. So it’s
time to fire Thibs, trade Butler, and attempt to move on from Gibson Teague and Dieng. Why not make a contract offer to Jabari Parker or Zach Lavine.
Always fools gold to suggest Chicago, but despite Butler’s comments about management there immediately following the trade, he has remained very close with ownership – specifically Michael Reinsdorf.
The team that has cleared out enough space to sign them plays in a big market and can sign both to the max next off-season… the Brooklyn Nets!! They have been building the team very well, made it clear they want to add top 25 players, have the coaching staff and young players that are willing to work hard, and can offer big market appeak to both Kyrie and Butler. I see it as almost a no brainer. Levert and Allen are very solid building blocks. They been loading up on shooters, now need to beef up D and get 1-2 vets in there.
Not gonna happen bud. Branding is a big deal more like they team up with knicks and porzingis than the trash heap called the nets.
get them both to chicago w. markko, carter and our first round pick next year‼️‼️
How many outstanding NBA point guards not named “Steph” would gladly trade their current situation with Kyrie Irving? Pretty much every single one.
Laughable seeing how everyone is tying themselves into knots to find ways he’ll be leaving Boston…especially to a rudderless mess like the Knicks.
World B Flat ain’t going anywhere.
World B Flat made me laugh.
Hes already said himself he would explore free agency to potentially go to the knicks. That’s where people are getting it from. He grew up in New Jersey and went to school there.
Went to school in Jersey.
I’m sure both will sign with the Warriors for $1.50, a new pair of Jordan’s, and a new basketball.
Seriously, can the league put a stop to this top-heavy bull c r a p already?
Is this another Bryan Colangelo burner account?
I always thought Chicago totally fleeced Minny, Butler for Dunn, ZLV & Markkanen, basically Minny traded away their future & built Chicago’s team all at once… man that did hurt me all season long. Don’t get me wrong Butler is very good, but I am not so sure he is very good in the locker room, he already annoyed youngsters & vets in Chicago & now is doing the same in Minny, repeat offender, not so good, right?
That’s why, like every other franchise that’s done it (clippers pistons) they need to relinquish the coach/GM privilege of Thibs. It’s a terribly stupid idea to have that moron in charge of everything.
Wiggins to Cavs
Love and (wolves) 1st rounder to Celtics
Irving to Wolves
Opinions??
Teague is an expensive bench player at that point.
I don’t think he’d be a hard player to move though.
Still is 38M over 2 seasons if he opts in. Good player, but the league is sort of guard saturated now. It’s hard to believe but there are a lot of good young PGs either young or locked up. The Magic could be a trade partner though. Vucevic and Ross for Teague.
Deng, Kuzma, lottery protected 1st, and a future 2nd for Butler.
If Deng is in a trade you better add another 1st.