Timberwolves coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau met with Jimmy Butler on Monday, attempting to coax the disenchanted swingman to rejoin the team during the preseason, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.
It’s another hint that Thibodeau hopes to patch things up with Butler and keep his core group intact rather than trade him. Butler did not report to training camp as he awaits a trade.
Thibodeau indicated during the team’s media day on Monday that he’s willing to deal Butler, who can become a free agent next summer, but he’s not going to give away an All-Star talent.
“We’re not going to make a bad deal,” Thibodeau said. “If it’s a good deal, we’re interested.”
Teams have been lining up with offers for Butler and the process was accelerated when news broke that owner Glen Taylor wants to move Butler as soon as possible.
An article today said 40% of the NBA teams want Butler!
I like numbers like that.
How many of that 40% want to pay Butler $33mil when he’s 34 though? (If those numbers are accurate)
He is able to play the 3 so that’s good.
Be nice to know what any actual offers are out there for him. It might be 40% just saying they’d like be in the loop.
Best thing Thibs has done. Trade Wiggins instead before the casuals realize he’s bad.
Who would ever buy on Wiggins. it isn’t MLB, you can’t just trade for someone making that money and not have consequences.
I’m an optimist and have seen the flashes of what wiggs can do but they don’t have a good environment for him. He can score, but if it’s a game where he gets the ball ten times a half you’re gonna make bad shots to prove your worth and make bad shots.
Jimmy has something they’re laking and that is defense. It’s terrible. On the offense I’ve front the ball isn’t moving. If it is it’s because of bad passes on runaways or when the clock is just about up.
There’s probably someone that still believes in “potential.”
But what are the consequences of trading him? The hardest part is finding someone to take that atrocious contract (straight up that is) but if they can, that’s a win win. It’s not like they have a signing bonus like in the NFL.
Raptors want him, hes Canadian.
Minnesota fans wish
Wolves need to fire Tom and move Butler. Tom knows Jimmy is the only way he’ll keep his job in Minnesota that’s why he’s trying so hard. Guess what Tom? You are overrated and you don’t want the basketball world to see it, you ran Jimmy to the ground last season also. Fire Tom!!!
You literally said Jimmy and the young guys taking strides will lead them to a title next seasons
If he takes every view he has to be right eventually
Thibs was hired tp coach defense but he doesn’t seem to be very good at it. A lot – way too many in my opinion – of current NBA players seem simply unwilling to make the effort to play defense.
Canada does not want Wiggins on that deal. Canadian or not, Raps want to win, and AW won’t help them do that, especially taking up 30%+ of their cap space.
To all these people who think Wiggins is bad, how can 23 pts per game in 2016-17 and 17 last year be considered bad for a guard?
When it takes 19 shots and you do absolutely nothing else…yeah you’re bad. Hence the 4 straight years of negative VORP.
Butler stunted everyones growth or ability to produce on that team! Yes, he got them to the playoffs but at what cost?