Minnesota Sports Forum

Jimmy Butler's Timberwolves frustration is now official
By Noah Bressner July 13, 2018 | 5:11pm | Updated

Jimmy Butler does not want to stay in Minnesota for the long haul.

The Timberwolves star has rejected a four-year extension worth about $110 million, according to Minneapolis TV station KSTP. Butler's current contract expires after the 2019-20 season.

Butler is said to be unhappy with Minnesota's current situation, with the Chicago Sun-Times reporting earlier this month that he's "fed up" with his teammates.

The frustrated shooting guard wants to play with Kyrie Irving instead, according to that report. Irving has said he would not sign a contract extension with the Celtics before hitting free agency next offseason.

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Irving has been linked to the Knicks since demanding a trade off the Cavaliers and Butler liked a comment on Instagram Thursday that said, "you and Kyrie coming to the Knicks 2019..."
But for now, the Celtics are thought to be a potential partner if the Timberwolves opt to trade Butler before his contract expires.

Last season Irving told Butler, who was then with the Bulls, that he wanted to leave Cleveland and play with him in Chicago, but the Bulls couldn't muster enough assets to land him.

Butler has complained in the media about Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau's penchant for playing him 40 minutes a game.

The shooting guard has also grown increasingly frustrated with younger teammates Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. Thibodeau traded for Butler in part because he thought the veteran could inspire Wiggins to work harder.

The four-time All Star averaged 22.2 points over 59 games in his first season in Minnesota.

This doesn't prove anything. If he would have accepted the extension he would have left 70 million on the deal. He might leave but him not accepting the extension is smart on his end financially

What's new in this story? This has all been reported already and literally this whole article seems to be based on those previous reports. Seems like you got click baited.

YAWN

"Jimmy Butler does not want to stay in Minnesota for the long haul."

Well, even if this is true, which I don't necessarily think it is, we're still a long way away from decision time and nothing he's done has confirmed this. Declining to accept the extension was a good business, financial move for Butler. Everyone who actually understands the league knows that.

I also want to say there is a chance (probably a small one) that the Wolves could get Kyrie to come to Minnesota next offseason.

Thibs would have to do a lot of work. But Zach Lowe thinks that Wiggins could easily be traded during next offseason because a lot of teams will have cap space and a lot of teams will strike out in FA, so teams are going to panic and convince themselves into Wiggins. So the Wolves would have a chance to trade Wiggins into cap space for future picks. Also I think there is a chance that Teague opts out, not because he doesn't want the 19 mil but that a majority of the teams in the NBA have cap space next offseason and then the next year it dries up again. So Teague might want to test the water and become a free agent when the money is out there. Can also trade Gorgui with a pick to clear cap space. Cap space is projected at 108 mil. So doing 2 of those 3 might allow enough cap space to add Irving.

Camden wrote:"Jimmy Butler does not want to stay in Minnesota for the long haul."

Well, even if this is true, which I don't necessarily think it is, we're still a long way away from decision time and nothing he's done has confirmed this. Declining to accept the extension was a good business, financial move for Butler. Everyone who actually understands the league knows that.

I agree, Cam. Butler's failure to repudiate this now fairly old story about his dissatisfaction with his younger teammates tells me that it's probably true. But you're right that he would have turned down the contract even if he loved his teammates and wanted to spend the rest of his life in Minnesota. He can make a lot more money by re-signing here next summer and Jimmy is the sort to bet on himself.

Oh boy here we go. Yes, there is nothing new here that we haven't already heard. But can we be smart as fans for once? I see all this fervor for staying status quo, because somehow this is all going to magically work out in the Wolves favor. Jimmy is going to have a great season. He and the young guys are going to all of a sudden mesh together. It will allow us to make a run at the number 3 spot in the West. After the season is over, Jimmy is going to be so happy he resigns here and helps recruit Kyrie to Minneapolis. Are we insane?

Here is what is 10 times more likely. Jimmy plays less than 65 games with an assortment of injuries including more problems with his knee. The discord between Jimmy and KAT/Wig grows deeper. The internal problems complicate our ability to compete in the West and we end up in another battle for the 8th spot. We try to move Jimmy at the deadline only to find out his value is diminished because he is now considered damaged goods. We end up keeping him or making a bad deal because we have no leverage. If we keep him, he can't wait to get out of here after the season and we end up getting nothing but cap space. Basically we blow yet another opportunity to set ourselves up for a promising future because for some reason we just HAD to hang on to Jimmy for one more run. Next July, Cool reminds everyone about this thread and the rest of the board comes down with a severe case of memory loss.

Waiting for the pitchforks.......

I'm with you cool. We've had one star in our franchise that wanted to stay here and build something. KAT says he wants to but I suspect he and everyone else are hopping on the next train. Bad culture here. Bad decisions.

We always say 'oh lets give it one more year'. NBA buddy ball has taken over and we're not a place of recruitment for that.

CoolBreeze44 wrote:Oh boy here we go. Yes, there is nothing new here that we haven't already heard. But can we be smart as fans for once? I see all this fervor for staying status quo, because somehow this is all going to magically work out in the Wolves favor. Jimmy is going to have a great season. He and the young guys are going to all of a sudden mesh together. It will allow us to make a run at the number 3 spot in the West. After the season is over, Jimmy is going to be so happy he resigns here and helps recruit Kyrie to Minneapolis. Are we insane?

Here is what is 10 times more likely. Jimmy plays less than 65 games with an assortment of injuries including more problems with his knee. The discord between Jimmy and KAT/Wig grows deeper. The internal problems complicate our ability to compete in the West and we end up in another battle for the 8th spot. We try to move Jimmy at the deadline only to find out his value is diminished because he is now considered damaged goods. We end up keeping him or making a bad deal because we have no leverage. If we keep him, he can't wait to get out of here after the season and we end up getting nothing but cap space. Basically we blow yet another opportunity to set ourselves up for a promising future because for some reason we just HAD to hang on to Jimmy for one more run. Next July, Cool reminds everyone about this thread and the rest of the board comes down with a severe case of memory loss.

Waiting for the pitchforks.......

I agree with you completely, Cool!

I've been calling for the Wolves to trade Butler since late May, well before the Butler dissatisfaction story broke. My point has always been that, even if Jimmy's loves it here, his age, injury propensity and impending free agency make him a less than optimal fit for this team.

But it's clear the Wolves will not trade Jimmy this summer. Nor will Taylor replace Thibodeau. So we had better hope that our rookies are surprisingly good, that Thibodeau shows more growth and flexibility than we've seen from him so far, and that Jimmy starts acting like a leader builds chemistry with his teammates and stays healthy enough to play at least 75 games. Then we still have to hope that Jimmy decides to stay here I lieu of other free agent opportunities he may have.