Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau said Jimmy Butler “should be a go” for Wednesday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
Butler has been carefully managing his body this season after missing most of training camp because of a trade request. He has missed three games out of 11, with the most recent absence coming Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers. There were rumors last week suggesting the 29-year-old may take a longer absence away from the team, but he's still playing more often than not.
Butler played in Monday night's 120-109 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. He had 20 points, five assists and four rebounds in 39 minutes of play.
It has been about a month and a half since Butler's trade request became public knowledge. The Timberwolves have reportedly had conversations with a good number of teams and nearly agreed to a trade with the Miami Heat, but talks fell apart and nothing seems to be imminent at the moment. Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor has pledged to continue looking for a deal, though it's unclear if Thibodeau has any real interest in making a trade.
Butler is averaging 22.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 34.6 minutes per game. He's shooting 48.8 percent overall and 34.3 percent from 3.
Minnesota has struggled to a 4-7 record to start the season. The Lakers have similarly struggled out of the gate to a 4-6 record, and one of those losses came against Butler and co. The four-time All-Star scored 32 points in that game.
It's no surprise Jimmy Butler is suiting up for this game on national television, and he'll likely want to show out against LeBron James.
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