Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler has been in the headlines a lot over the last couple of months, and none of those reasons were what you would really call positive.
Butler requested a trade after expressing displeasure with the organization, which reportedly includes issues with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, the team's two young cornerstones. Butler got into a back-and-forth with Wiggins' brother, Nick, on social media. With Minnesota not honoring his trade request yet, he unleashed his fury on teammates and the organization in his return to practice. And while some veterans were supposedly energized by Butler's vigor, players like Towns seemed demoralized.
However, Butler still feels as if he can be a leader for the Timberwolves:
Butler (3) On whether he can still be a leader: "Go ask one of these guys if i've been the same exact person i've always been. I walk in here smiling, fortunate to be able to be able to play basketball.''
— Kent Youngblood (@BloodStrib) October 14, 2018
Butler is an emotional leader. His actions and methods of leadership may not always be ideal for every teammate, so he has to learn how to be a more dynamic leader.
Even still, there's no doubt that Butler's willingness to lay it all on the line for his teammates is leadership by example. In fact, Butler's overall message to his teammates — specifically Towns and Wiggins — seems to be that they need to play with the same passion and effort as he does because they're so gifted as players.
There's little doubt that if Towns or Wiggins had Butler's work ethic, they could be considered top 10 or top 15 players in the league.
Butler wants to bring the best out of them, and he's doing it the only way he knows how. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.
Butler is expected to play in Minnesota's season opener against the San Antonio Spurs.
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