The NBA season has already begun, but the specter of the Jimmy Butler saga seems to continue hovering above the heads of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

For now, what’s clear is that Butler, if it’s up to him, wants out of Minnesota. As for the Timberwolves, deciding what to do with Butler is always not going to be easy. On one hand, they know that they’re going to need someone like Jimmy Butler if they want to survive and compete at a high level in the dog-eat-dog world of the Western Conference.

On the other hand, they are also aware that Butler is most likely going to leave Minnesota once the two-way guard gets the chance to have control of his own destiny. That will come next summer, as Butler has a player option at the end of this season.

For Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, he’s leaning more towards ridding his team of Butler via a trade than risk losing the four-time All-Star next year for nothing, per Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune.

“Yes. I think [Butler has] made it very clear that he would not re-sign with us at the end of the year and therefore it is in our interest to get a trade so that we can get a player or two to replace him that helps our team,” Taylor said

There are pros and cons that the Timberwolves have to factor in deciding on how to reach a conclusion with their situation with Butler. Trading will net Minnesota perhaps some future building blocks, which they’re going to default if they keep the swingman.

After handing out lucrative extensions to Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Taylor could also be simply disinterested in paying Butler.