It's Official

[Lipoli390]

I really hope we get to have another practice with jimmy there. Butler came with an agenda. He set up an interview and everything else. Towns and wig got blinsided and are being thrown under the bus. They need to step up to butler. Butler can say he will compete WITH the team all he wants but it is crystal clear he wants to be somewhere else.

No need to make butler out to be a hero here. He needs to play or else he wont get paid! Playing and going half assed would juts damage and contradict what he is spewing in the media about going hard all the time and all about winning.

For the team's sake. We need another practice with jimmy, towns and wiggins all there and towns and wiggins should come in wanting to prove something. Otherwise, the whole franchise was just taken for a ride by jimmy.

I agree, World. Butler, the guy who wouldn't fly back with his teammates after the last playoff loss and who later demanded a trade at the last minute and leaked his demand to the public, has essentially taken over the team, including management. Meanwhile, Thibodeau and Layden barricade the door and silently watch.

[worldK]

I really hope we get to have another practice with jimmy there. Butler came with an agenda. He set up an interview and everything else. Towns and wig got blinsided and are being thrown under the bus. They need to step up to butler. Butler can say he will compete WITH the team all he wants but it is crystal clear he wants to be somewhere else.

No need to make butler out to be a hero here. He needs to play or else he wont get paid! Playing and going half assed would juts damage and contradict what he is spewing in the media about going hard all the time and all about winning.

For the team's sake. We need another practice with jimmy, towns and wiggins all there and towns and wiggins should come in wanting to prove something. Otherwise, the whole franchise was just taken for a ride by jimmy.

I agree, World. Butler, the guy who wouldn't fly back with his teammates after the last playoff loss and who later demanded a trade at the last minute and leaked his demand to the public, has essentially taken over the team, including management. Meanwhile, Thibodeau and Layden barricade the door and silently watch.

Only way the franchise can save face is for towns and wiggins to get some payback at jimmy at practice. Im not talking about getting violent, but play well against him. Bring it to practice. Take over this team now! I dont blame them for folding vs butler 2 days ago. They were blinsided with butler coming with an agenda and motive. They are 23yr old and butler would have acted the same as they did, when he was in their shoes and 23, I can guarantee that. Stop with these super competitive jimmy crap thay he is trying to portray himself.

Thibs absolutely should get fired after butler trade. The whole league knows he is a sitting duck coach and glen is just waiting to fire him. Im okay with letting him deal with the butler situation nefore firing him. He created this mess and the next guy should have a clean slate. Thibs has no control over the team and the locker room. Everyone knows his situation and are just waiting for it to happen.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

I don't exactly know why I feel like this, but there's a part of me that thinks Butler could still end up here for the long-term. Too many things left open and to be questioned. He's asked for a trade but still seems like he's trying to motivate/rally the guys.

Could be that all he wants is management to tell him straight up that they're not trading him, they think he's a key piece of the puzzle and fully intend on maxing him out this summer. After that, personal relationships with the players can be fixed.

Never seen something like this before.

I have some of the same thoughts, Cam, and I wouldn't be at all displeased if all proposed deals were rejected and Butler stayed long-term. We just don't know what is going on in Jimmy's head, but I think most of us would agree that he is not the most stable guy emotionally. He's goofy. At times we found it charming last season, but now his craziness can't be seen as anything but disruptive.

But we also know that successful teams don't need to love each other. The Wolves have generally been a team with a lot of good guys where everyone got along, and the results speak for themselves. We have had one (1) successful season in the history of this franchise, and arguably that was one of our least cohesive teams (Sprewell? KG and Wally?).

Butler is crazy and volatile, and his teammates know it. It's not inconceivable that he makes a public statement prior to the opener that clears the air...somewhat. Something like this:

"Look, I just want to win, that's all. KAT and Wig are more talented than I am, but they are young and need to know what it takes to win in the NBA. Maybe some don't appreciate my actions, but I'm just trying to get them to realize their huge potential. Now let's go win some games."

Do that, and this team wins 52 games this year...even with Thibs at the helm.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Yeah, Thibs plan all along has been to resist, resist, resist. Perhaps his calculus goes along the lines of this...

A) If I trade Butler now, I will not get an equivalent talent and we will miss the playoffs. I get fired.

B) If I hold onto Butler and force him to play, may be we start winning some games early, the guys reconcile, and we are a legit playoff team. And may be, just may be, he re-signs with us long term. I keep my job.

There is absolutely zero incentive for Thibs to pick Option A right now because he knows what that ultimately leads to. He also knows that if Option B doesn't pan out, he can always go back to Option A for the good of the franchise (so long as it's before the Feb trading deadline).

At this point, the only way Butler gets traded before the season starts is if Taylor steps in and fires Thibs, then has someone else execute a trade.

[kekgeek]

Yeah, Thibs plan all along has been to resist, resist, resist. Perhaps his calculus goes along the lines of this...

A) If I trade Butler now, I will not get an equivalent talent and we will miss the playoffs. I get fired.

B) If I hold onto Butler and force him to play, may be we start winning some games early, the guys reconcile, and we are a legit playoff team. And may be, just may be, he re-signs with us long term. I keep my job.

There is absolutely zero incentive for Thibs to pick Option A right now because he knows what that ultimately leads to. He also knows that if Option B doesn't pan out, he can always go back to Option A for the good of the franchise (so long as it's before the Feb trading deadline).

At this point, the only way Butler gets traded before the season starts is if Taylor steps in and fires Thibs, then has someone else execute a trade.

Exactly, and if the rumored trade of Richardson, Lottery Protected 1st and Waiters was the offer it is smart to turn it down.

I mean we give up the best player in Butler, take a negative asset back in the trade in Waiters, if shit would hit the fan in Miami and they miss the playoffs that 1st would become 2nd round picks because there can't be roll over on the pick because the Heat have to trade their 2021 pick to the Sixers.

20 million in cap with Jimmy leaving is better then what is being offered at the moment.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I'm not worried about Jimmy on the court. If he wants out he's gonna play hard to show his value, not sandbag it because he's mad at the front office. Also Wiggins and Towns coming back with a great practice is exactly what Thibs and Jimmy want. This whole thing has been to light a fire under them from Thibs' perspective. That's why he hasn't condemned or spoken out about it. You want this team to be yours then you are gonna have to take it from Jimmy. Either they will and it will play right into Thibs hands getting them to finally show some real emotion and play hard or they won't and they'll be exposed for being fake franchise cornerstones. It's put up or shut up time and Thibs and Jimmy have done everything they can to get them to put up. If they do we might see Jimmy here long term. If they don't Thibs and Jimmy will be gone and we'll be left with two softies who just backed down to the challenge and the whole league will know it.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Youcantwinwithoutme.me

Enjoy!

[Coolbreeze44]

I'm not worried about Jimmy on the court. If he wants out he's gonna play hard to show his value, not sandbag it because he's mad at the front office. Also Wiggins and Towns coming back with a great practice is exactly what Thibs and Jimmy want. This whole thing has been to light a fire under them from Thibs' perspective. That's why he hasn't condemned or spoken out about it. You want this team to be yours then you are gonna have to take it from Jimmy. Either they will and it will play right into Thibs hands getting them to finally show some real emotion and play hard or they won't and they'll be exposed for being fake franchise cornerstones. It's put up or shut up time and Thibs and Jimmy have done everything they can to get them to put up. If they do we might see Jimmy here long term. If they don't Thibs and Jimmy will be gone and we'll be left with two softies who just backed down to the challenge and the whole league will know it.

You are delusional

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I'm not worried about Jimmy on the court. If he wants out he's gonna play hard to show his value, not sandbag it because he's mad at the front office. Also Wiggins and Towns coming back with a great practice is exactly what Thibs and Jimmy want. This whole thing has been to light a fire under them from Thibs' perspective. That's why he hasn't condemned or spoken out about it. You want this team to be yours then you are gonna have to take it from Jimmy. Either they will and it will play right into Thibs hands getting them to finally show some real emotion and play hard or they won't and they'll be exposed for being fake franchise cornerstones. It's put up or shut up time and Thibs and Jimmy have done everything they can to get them to put up. If they do we might see Jimmy here long term. If they don't Thibs and Jimmy will be gone and we'll be left with two softies who just backed down to the challenge and the whole league will know it.

You are delusional

Elaborate. Or get the fuck out if you are just here to trash talk people and not actually debate something you disagree with.

[mjs34]

I'm not worried about Jimmy on the court. If he wants out he's gonna play hard to show his value, not sandbag it because he's mad at the front office. Also Wiggins and Towns coming back with a great practice is exactly what Thibs and Jimmy want. This whole thing has been to light a fire under them from Thibs' perspective. That's why he hasn't condemned or spoken out about it. You want this team to be yours then you are gonna have to take it from Jimmy. Either they will and it will play right into Thibs hands getting them to finally show some real emotion and play hard or they won't and they'll be exposed for being fake franchise cornerstones. It's put up or shut up time and Thibs and Jimmy have done everything they can to get them to put up. If they do we might see Jimmy here long term. If they don't Thibs and Jimmy will be gone and we'll be left with two softies who just backed down to the challenge and the whole league will know it.

You are delusional

Elaborate. Or get the fuck out if you are just here to trash talk people and not actually debate something you disagree with.

How can you be a "fake franchise cornerstone" when you are 22 years old and are putting up over 21 pts a game at a 65 TS% along with 12 rebs. GIve me five of these please!