The Minnesota Timberwolves have not shown interest in many potential pieces from the Miami Heat during trade discussions for forward Jimmy Butler. The Wolves have been completely uninterested in shooting guard Dion Waiters and hybrid forward James Johnson, whom the Heat had added internally as potential packages for Butler, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Waiters and Johnson aren't coming off their best seasons and are now seen as expendable assets, especially considering the magnitude of player they would get in return.
Thus far, Minnesota has been solely fixated in acquiring three-and-D specialist Josh Richardson, center Bam Adebayo and a first-round pick — mirroring what they gave up in a package to the Chicago Bulls when president Tom Thibodeau traded for Butler (Zach LaVine (after his third year like Richardson), Kris Dunn (coming off his rookie season like Adebayo) and a swap of lottery-bound first-rounders.
In addition to it, the Timberwolves have been stubborn in their desire to unload the bloated contract of Gorgui Dieng, who still has three years and $48 million owed to him.
The Heat recently sent the Wolves a revised package and pushed them to accept it after two weeks of ongoing talks for Butler.
Minnesota's refusal to take anything less than their desired package has proved the main impediment of getting this deal done, especially considering that both Richardson and Adebayo are in president Pat Riley's untouchable list.
The Heat have been rather flexible, even considering moving point guard Goran Dragic and center Hassan Whiteside, but the Timberwolves' hardball approach has worn tiresome to the Miami front office, which has been actively trying to make a deal happen.
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