From the outside looking in, the Jimmy Butler drama appeared to affect the Minnesota Timberwolves' play on the court and the dynamic in the locker room. However, veteran power forward Taj Gibson, who is close friends with Butler, says that wasn't the case.
The Timberwolves finally ended the Jimmy Butler saga on Saturday by trading the disgruntled small forward to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Robert Covington, Dario Saric, Jerryd Bayless and a 2022 second-round pick. Butler requested a trade all the way back in September and reportedly had issues with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
Speaking to reporters Sunday for the first time since the trade was announced, Taj Gibson said there were no locker room issues while the Jimmy Butler trade dilemma was ongoing.
Taj Gibson is a savvy veteran. He knows when to say the right things. Even if there were locker room issues, you think he's going to admit that to the media? It was evident just from watching the Timberwolves play that there was a disconnect between Butler and the players. In the games that the four-time All-Star didn't play in, the team looked more energized. It's a shame that it took head coach/president Tom Thibodeau, owner Glen Taylor and general manager Scott Layden this long to trade Butler.
The Timberwolves take on the Brooklyn Nets on Monday at home. Minnesota is currently on a five-game losing streak. The Butler trade call is set to take place Monday, so Covington, Saric and Bayless won't be available to play.