Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor confirmed last week that Jimmy Butler turned down the team’s contract extension offer, since he’ll have the ability to earn a much larger payday if he waits another year and signs as a free agent in 2019. In his conversation with Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN, Taylor also discussed several other topics, including a possible rookie scale extension for Karl-Anthony Towns.
According to Taylor, the Wolves have already put a maximum-salary offer on the table for Towns and there shouldn’t be much negotiating required. The club has until mid-October to finalize an extension with the former first overall pick, and Taylor sounds confident it’ll happen before then.
“I’m sure he’s going to sign it. It doesn’t really make that much difference to me when he does it,” Taylor said. “We haven’t put any deadline on it or anything like that. The offer’s out there. … I’m confident that we won’t have any problem with it.”
Here’s more from the Timberwolves’ owner:
- According to Taylor, the Timberwolves aren’t interested in trading Andrew Wiggins at this point. The Wolves owner stressed that the franchise doesn’t want to “give up” on a player as young as Wiggins, who is still just 23. “A lot of players, it took them three or four years to get better and then they just keep getting better,” Taylor said. “I don’t see why Andrew won’t be one of those people, because he has such natural ability.”
- The Timberwolves signed Anthony Tolliver because they didn’t want to wait on a decision from Nemanja Bjelica, who was seeking a two-year deal. Bjelica ultimately signed with Philadelphia for less than what Minnesota offered him, according to Taylor.
- Asked about filling out the rest of the Timberwolves’ roster, Taylor acknowledged that minimum-salary signings are the most likely path for the club. “I got the list of who they’re talking to, and they’re not exactly [big-]name players,” Taylor said of the free agents his front office is targeting. “The names they have right now are a little younger, but they have some experience. [The front office] believes that they have the ability to improve.”
- Taylor also noted that many of Minnesota’s free agent targets are strong defensively, adding that the team wants to improve its bench’s defensive numbers.
- The Timberwolves owner downplayed the idea that there’s tension between Jimmy Butler and some of the Wolves’ other stars, suggesting that Butler “just wants to win” and wants to make sure that “people around him play really hard.”
If the Wolves don’t make the playoffs next season, will they “try” to keep Butler? Butler and Kyrie are good friends. Ainge says Kyrie isn’t going anywhere.
If Boston signs Kyrie, Horford, Smart, Rozier, and extends Jaylen Brown, they’ll be well into the luxury tax.
I like the idea that Minny wants to keep Wiggins, it doesn’t look very good to sign a player to a max contract & trade him even before it kicks in, that would be bad form. He is very good, just needs to keep improving.
Very good at what? Slashing to the rim? I can’t think of anything else he’s very good at.
He’s really good, but only when he wants to be. He can shoot, move the ball well and play defense at least to the point of above average. He’s bad at holding the ball and trying to make his own opportunities then getting bad shots followed by an easy jog back to defend.
He’d better not be the 4th or 5th option again.
1 reason Butler turned it down is bc he can make more money by doing so… grain of salt. Will Kyrie and Butler end up in New York? If they find a taker for Noah and Lee it’s possible financially.
Why does everyone always think NY is the preference? Seriously, they’d be better off in Boston. Better situation, better supporting cast.
But no financially possible
Celtics don’t need or want him. They have the next Butler on his rookie deal younger and hungrier in Brown