Things have continued to brew with the Minnesota Timberwolves centered around All-Star forward Jimmy Butler's long-term future with the franchise. Now, it appears the Wolves might be on the outside.
There has been some growing chatter that he isn't happy with the current situation with possible issues arising with his relationship with All-Star big man Karl Anthony-Towns. According to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News, team owner Glen Taylor has stated that Butler has already turned down a four-year extension that is worth around $110 million.
#Twolves All-Star Jimmy Butler has officially turned down the Wolves' 4-year, $110M range extension offer, per owner Glen Taylor. Full interview posting soon, which includes stuff on KAT extension talks, Thibs, filling out the roster, and #LosLynx.
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) July 13, 2018
There may be some internal turmoil between both sides at this current juncture of the offseason, but this may have come down to simply being a decision based on him losing out on millions on his next deal if he hit the free agent market in the summer of 2018. Butler is in the fourth year of his five-year, $92.3 million deal that contains a player option worth $19.8 million for the 2018-19 campaign that is all but assured that he will decline.
The 28-year-old is expected to hit the open market next summer as one of the most sought out players where several teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, and Los Angeles Clippers are already position as being major players in free agency. Butler should be able to fetch a deal that is well more than the four-year, $110 million extension he has received from the Timberwolves this summer.
He is one of the league's best two-way players that has developed into a highly-dependable offensive talent that is in the prime of his career.
Regardless, if Minnesota offers him a more lucrative deal, he likely has his eyes set on becoming a free agent, which doesn't necessarily rule out a return to the team. What this could signal is that the front office could look to possibly move him prior to next season's trade deadline if they feel he won't re-sign with the franchise in order to avoid getting left empty-handed.
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