The Golden State Warriors are in Minnesota for their first round series against Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves. However, it's also a return for Jimmy Butler.
Although years removed from the organization, Jimmy Butler and the Timberwolves did not part ways smoothly. Could that spice things up in the second round series?
Warriors' Jimmy Butler gets welcome message from Timberwolves ahead of Game 1
Jimmy Butler played a year and a half for the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2017 to the early parts of the 2018-2019 season. He was traded to the Wolves from Chicago after spending the first six seasons of his NBA career with the Bulls.
Butler's tenure in Minnesota didn't last long, as he clashed often with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, leading to his eventual mid-season trade to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Butler only totaled 75 regular season games and five postseason games with the Timberwolves, but the manner in which he exited left a sour taste in the mouths of Wolves fans.
As the Warriors arrived for Game 1 against the Timberwolves, Jimmy Butler was issued a “Welcome Back” message in front of the Warriors locker room, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk.
Article Continues BelowHe’s back pic.twitter.com/ZvXmE8Rkfh
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) May 7, 2025
A report back in 2018 shortly before Butler's departure detailed the fractured chemistry between the Wolves veteran star and both Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
According to then-ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Butler returned from an extended absence and made it a point to call out his star teammates.
All-Star guard Jimmy Butler made a dramatic return to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, boldly challenging teammates, coaches and front-office executives in the practice session, league sources told ESPN.
Butler was vociferous and intense throughout the scrimmages, targeting president of basketball operations and coach Tom Thibodeau, general manager Scott Layden and teammates, including Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, league sources said.
As the GM watched on the sidelines during a scrimmage, sources said that Butler yelled to Layden: “You f—ing need me, Scott. You can't win without me.”
Since his time with the Wolves, Butler has played 55 games with the Philadelphia 76ers, and five-and-a-half seasons with the Miami Heat before requesting a trade and getting one to the Golden State Warriors.
Game 1 between the Warriors and Timberwolves is set to tip off on Tuesday night at 6:30PM PST on TNT.