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It's safe to say Miami Heat president Pat Riley is more than annoyed with Minnesota Timberwolves head coach/president Tom Thibodeau. The Heat, who have been aggressively trying to acquire Timberwolves star small forward Jimmy Butler, are reportedly drawing a line in the sand, as the team has made its last and best offer for Butler.
Hearing that the Miami Heat have made the Minnesota Timberwolves their "last, best offer." And that "They (Minnesota) know where we are at. This could and should be done by now. The season starts in a week."
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 7, 2018
Butler, 29, requested a trade from the Timberwolves more than three weeks ago. No one could have predicted it would drag on this long. Thibodeau reportedly is holding out hope that Butler will return to the team if he can't trade the disgruntled star. Butler, a four-time All-Star, has told Minnesota he'll leave in free agency next summer and wants to be traded as soon as possible. The swingman prefers to play for the Heat, as Butler believes he can recruit other star players to South Beach.
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The Heat reportedly remain reluctant to move guard Josh Richardson and big man Bam Adebayo, two players the Timberwolves want in return for Butler. In 59 regular season games last year, Jimmy Butler averaged 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. He shot 47.4 percent from the field, 35.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 85.4 percent from the free-throw line.
Butler has been away from the team during the preseason. The rugged defender reportedly has issues with both Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. Butler will make $18.7 million this season and has a player-option for the 2019-20 season, one which he will decline so he can enter the open market.
