Jimmy Butler’s future with the Timberwolves is now in question more than ever before.
Chicago Sun-Times NBA writer Joe Cowley wrote a column Tuesday saying Butler is “all but fed up with the nonchalant attitude of his younger teammates, specifically Karl-Anthony Towns.”
Butler’s reported beef with Towns’ style is new, whereas previous reports have suggested Butler takes issue with Andrew Wiggins’ work ethic and approach to playing defense.
Before last month’s NBA Draft, head coach Tom Thibodeau addressed the reported demise of his locker room, striking down the rumors as fake news. But the smoke continues billowing and none of the players have publicly challenged the reported internal issues.
It was reported earlier this week that Minnesota is preparing to offer Butler a four-year deal worth more than $100 million, but Cowley says Butler has “no intentions of signing an extension with Minnesota.”
Related: Jalen Rose would be shocked if Wolves don’t trade Towns or Wiggins.
Cowley said there’s still time for Butler to change his mind, but it would likely mean the Wolves have to trade Towns, a decision the longtime Sun-Times writer says Wolves owner Glen Taylor is against.
Losing Butler in free agency is a worst-case scenario for the Wolves because they gave up rising stars Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn, in addition to the No. 7 pick in last year’s NBA Draft, which turned into another rising star, power forward Lauri Markkanen, to get him.
If Butler leaves Minnesota, the trade could go down as an all-time franchise blunder, and that’s saying something for a franchise that’s made some epic mistakes – like drafting Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn over Steph Curry, and signing an illegal contract with Joe Smith that set the franchise back about a decade.
