Jimmy Butler wants to win a championship and realizes to accomplish that feat, he has to take down the juggernaut known as the Golden State Warriors.
One of the main reasons Butler has reportedly requested a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves is he doesn't feel he can make an impact in the rugged Western Conference playing alongside Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, according to a report from Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
“According to the source, this is about a philosophy in making an impact in the Western Conference, and in Butler’s mind you can’t run down a dynasty like Golden State when two of the so-called dogs in the pack are in fact kittens”
Jimmy Butler was the 30th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. He averaged 2.6 and 8.6 points per game during his first two seasons in the league with the Chicago Bulls. Everyone thought he was going to be a role player and defensive specialist for his entire career. No one envisioned him turning into a four-time All-Star and becoming one of the best two-way players in the game.
So, how did Butler do it? Through hard work.
The 6-foot-7 swingman trains at 4:00 in the morning everyday during the offseason in the California area. He's a guy who has earned everything he's received in life, so Butler is going to take exception when he sees teammates not giving maximum effort on the court, and that's his main issue with Wiggins and Towns.
Butler doesn't respect Wiggins' work ethic and approach on defense, and got fed up with the nonchalant attitude of Towns. The Timberwolves made the playoffs last year for the first time in 14 years, but they were bounced in the first round by the Houston Rockets in five games.
Wiggins and Towns didn't play terrible in the postseason, but it wasn't that great of a showing by either player. Wiggins averaged 15.8 points, while Towns posted 15.2. Butler, playing on a bad knee and injured wrist, put up 15.8 points.
Butler underwent a successful elective right hand procedure in July to fix the ailment which was bothering him in the playoffs.
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