Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau has a reputation for playing his starters ultra-heavy minutes.
With Jimmy Butler coming to Minnesota and being reunited with his former coach, he’s well aware of what he’s getting himself into.
His trainer, Travelle Gaines, told USA TODAY Sports that Butler “is preparing to play as many minutes this year as Coach Thibs will ask him to play. We have been preparing this summer as if Jimmy will play 40 minutes a night.”
Butler has even taken up boxing this summer in preparation.
Playing big minutes is nothing new to Butler. He led the NBA in minutes per game in 2015 and 2014.
However over the last six years, no player has averaged 40 minutes per game; Monta Ellis was the last do so, and that was back in 2011.
In 2016-17, Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, Karl-Anthony Towns and Butler were all among the top six in the NBA in minutes per game.
Butler averaged 37 minutes per game last season with the Bulls while setting career highs in points, assists and rebounds.
The Timberwolves also signed Taj Gibson in free agency, who played alongside Butler in Chicago under Thibodeau.
With Thibodeau entering his second season as head coach, the current roster and incoming players know exactly what they’re getting themselves into: which is a ton of minutes and a lot of yelling from the bench.
So. Much. Yelling.
