While the Minnesota Timberwolves have been on the West Coast, All-Star small forward Jimmy Butler has been at the team's practice facility working out daily.
Butler has requested a trade from the Timberwolves and is not with the team. The Timberwolves return from Los Angeles on Thursday. They face the LA Clippers at Staples Center Wednesday night.
While the Wolves have been away on the West Coast, Jimmy Butler has been at the practice facility daily working out. Wolves return Thursday.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) October 2, 2018
Butler and his representatives have grown frustrated by how the Timberwolves have handled his trade request and are skeptical of whether the franchise is truly trying to find a deal. The four-time All-Star reportedly doesn't want to play with big man Karl-Anthony Towns and swingman Andrew Wiggins anymore, as he clashed with both players multiple times last season.
In 59 regular-season games last year, Butler averaged 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from beyond the arc. Butler and his camp think the Timberwolves’ asking price for the small forward is too high, and that’s why a deal hasn’t been made yet.
It is believed head coach/president Tom Thibodeau is uninterested in making a trade and hoping Butler will rejoin the team. Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor wants to move Butler as soon as possible, as he knows Butler has issues with Towns and Wiggins and doesn’t want a dysfunctional locker room this season.
So far, the Miami Heat and Houston Rockets are the two teams reportedly aggressively pursuing a Butler trade. Butler, 29, supposedly prefers to play for the Heat.
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