The Timberwolves open training today and Jimmy Butler is not expected to join the team in any on-court activities as he holds out for a trade.
Wolves president of basketball operations and head coach Tom Thibodeau, despite Butler’s trade request, has not given up hope of convincing Butler to stay, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi, but Butler is sticking strong to his demand to get out of Minensota.
Minnesota Timberwolves President/Coach Tom Thibodeau met with All-Star forward Jimmy Butler on Monday and tried to convince him to eventually rejoin the team in the preseason, league sources tell ESPN. Butler is sitting out, awaiting the organization to honor his trade request.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 25, 2018
Wojnarowski explains further that Butler will likely hold out before putting on a Wolves uniform again.
“He expects that he will never wear a Wolves practice or game jersey again and doesn’t want to prolong the drama on his way out, sources said. In his meeting with Thibodeau on Monday in Minneapolis, Butler reiterated that he had no plans to play for the team again, league sources said.”
Thibodeau said Monday that he’ll only trade Butler if the deal isn’t a bad one for the Wolves, but if Butler holds out and Thibodeau refuses to trade him it’s a lose-lose situation.
The Athletic’s Jon Krawcyznski reports that Butler, skeptical of Thibodea’s intentions to actually trade him, “sought out owner Glen Taylor to receive assurances that good faith efforts were continuing.”
Bottom line: Butler plans to leave Minnesota as a free agent next summer anyway, so trading him before then would at least give the Wolves assets instead of losing him for nothing. And trading him as soon as possible would spare Minnesota further humiliation.
Building off @wojespn tweet: sources say Jimmy Butler remained resolute during his talk with Thibs that his position would not change.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) September 25, 2018
Within Wojnarowski’s report is information from Zach Lowe, who says the Sacramento Kings are interested in helping facilitate trade by using its salary cap space to absorb expiring contracts.
Seems it’s the Wolves slowing down a potential deal with uncertainty among the decision makers. Sacramento’s situation is interesting to a lot of Butler trade suitors, looking to shed bad contracts as well. https://t.co/9bWHwvJhJB
— Stefano Fusaro (@S_Fusaro) September 25, 2018
Stay tuned, this situation could quickly change and we’ll be ready when it does.
