Jimmy Butler's maniacal competitiveness has proved the one signature part of his game that will have the clearest effect on his leadership of this new-look Minnesota Timberwolves.
As the organization went all hands on deck this offseason — first trading for Butler and then signing Jeff Teague and Taj Gibson to follow — this Twin Cities team is bound to shake down a very tough Western Conference, all starting with Butler.
The 28-year-old has applied his usual bootcamp-like approach to training, hoping it becomes inevitably contagious as the season goes along.
“If you’re tired, do this [expletive] right,” Butler explained to Shams Charania of The Vertical about how he drives the Timberwolves. “Do it again. If you do this [expletive] right, you won’t be as tired because we only have to do it one time. We need to do it 16 times if we don’t talk, if we don’t get it right. These three-hour practices, I don’t have a problem with them. Hell, stay in this [expletive] until 8 p.m. You tired? [Expletive] that.”
“Do it right. That’s the only way we’re going to win. When we spend time together, that’s what our time together is for. To get all of the terrible [expletive] habits out of the way. We have to be ready for what’s really coming.”
Head coach Tom Thibodeau doesn't require a complex system, but he wants execution done right and frowns upon making the same mistake done more than once.
Butler will be tasked with leading youngsters like the newly-extended Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns — key parts of this roster that have now been aided with the signings of three-time Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford, who at 37 years old will have the wisdom to back up Butler's hard-working habits.
The 2015 Most Improved Player knows a thing or two about work ethic — a concept he's hoping to instill throughout the locker room as the Wolves hope to topple the West's elite this season.
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