Last year, I really wanted Melo and all the news said we were going to get him and we didn't get him. This year, I really wanted Lebron and everything was lining up for him to come here and we didn't get him. Now, I don't really want Jimmy Butler, and I am not hearing much news about where he is going. So I have a feeling we are going to get him..
Kevin Garnett didn't want to be there, got traded away. Kevin Love didn't want to be there, got traded away. Jimmy Butler doesn't want to be there, trade TBA. There's definitely a pattern here with multi-time All-Stars and not wanting to play for that franchise.
Knight can be traded right now. The rule is he cannot be traded "in combination with another player's salary" before 10/31. This is not like the 3 months for FA that really becomes 12/15.
Plus, Knight could be traded for Dieng in a "separate", simultaneous trade. The other simultaneous trade could be, for example, Gordon + Nene for Butler.
The funny thing is how many posters gave him nearly the exact same response. I think they hit "Post Reply" well before reading the rest of the thread. It's like "Office Space". "And I'll tell you something else, Bob. Right now I have six different bosses. So every time I make a mistake I have to hear about it six times...."
You mean Thibs and Layden haven't been getting back to teams quickly? NO WAY..... it is almost like Thibs hasn't accepted that he is going to get screwed by this whole thing. Tom....... small market teams lose very good players, it isn't fair and it isn't right........ but just bend over and take it...... next time coach a team in a major market.
Can you please elaborate more on why? I'm not trying to be disrespectful, just curious. It's been many years since their stints in Minnesota, and I might be confusing the details of their respective trades. If I recall, KL had asked to be traded. KG was part of a extend-and-trade that he had to agree to. My wording of "didn't want to be there" comes off as a little stronger than intended, so please forgive me. Maybe "they were unhappy" or "were ready to move on" or "wanted to play for a contender" is more in line of their situations.
This is exactly my feelings on this situation. As the roster is right now, we have not done everything we could have to win a championship. Jimmy represents the all-in move. If we don't win it with him over a couple of years, fine, but at least you tried. As things are right now, I do not believe we are significantly worse or better than last year. We are about the same. Slightly worse defensively and a year older, but perhaps slightly better offensively with Melo and a competent 4th guard in Knight. No matter how you slice it, Butler represents real improvement on both sides of the ball for a team that its very difficult to find areas to improve on.
Remember when he essentially shunned the Rockets because our dysfunction and signed with the Wolves before even meeting with us? I definitely thought the sky was falling then. Thankfully Fast Pace Les brought in the GOAT.
I think with KG they just wanted to do right by him. I don't recall him specifically wanting out but he was open to the possibility of being traded to a contender. Love wanted to stay but Kahn was running that franchise into the ground. I think it was more LeBron wanting a more experience star player in Love than wait for Wiggins to develop. He probably did want out since they weren't going to give him his max money but I don't think it was a Jimmy Butler type scenario where he wanted out at all costs.
James Butler is a no-show for the Wolves but he found a pickup game in Minneapolis Jimmy Butler, who last week requested a trade from the Timberwolves, was at Target Center on Monday for his physical exam but did not participate in the Wolves’ media day. But while he won’t play for the Wolves, he did find a new group of local players with whom to play basketball. Multiple people told me Butler played in a pickup game Monday at the downtown Life Time Minneapolis Athletic Club, just a few blocks away from Target Center where media day was going on. Photographic evidence (above) confirms that he was, indeed there. And on Tuesday, Butler was spotted doing a workout and getting some shots up at the Life Time Fitness in Plymouth while the rest of the Wolves were participating in the first day of training camp — and a practice rookie Josh Okogie described as “long, but cool.” Officially, the Wolves are saying Butler will miss the first week of practice as he continues to rehab from offseason hand surgery. Clearly there is a difference between some noon ball with a bunch of rec players and the rigors of NBA camp, but it is an interesting strategy nonetheless. It’s just nice that Butler was able to find some teammates in Minnesota to play with as he awaits a trade. Those who played with him on Monday, by the way, said it was a pretty cool experience.
Source: Thibodeau still reluctant to trade Jimmy Butler A source told the Star Tribune on Tuesday that Tom Thibodeau is still reluctant to trade Jimmy Butler, information at odds with what Thibodeau is saying publicly. Thibodeau, the Wolves head coach and president of basketball operations, said many times during media day Monday and reiterated at the team’s first practice Tuesday that the team is working to honor the trade request Butler made last week. Thibodeau met with Butler on Monday to try again and convince Butler to stay but Butler remained steadfast in his desire to leave, according to a report from ESPN. Thibodeau declined to discuss what he told Butler on Monday and reiterated his comments from the Wolves’ media day that the team was looking for the best deal it could for Butler. “We’ll look at what’s out there and if something is good for us that’s what we want to do,” Thibodeau said Tuesday. “We’re going to honor his request but we’re not going to do a bad deal. I think we made that clear [Monday].” Teams have lobbied owner Glen Taylor, who also owns the Star Tribune, in an attempt to facilitate a deal, according to the ESPN report. The report did say general manager Scott Layden, who is handling the trade calls, has moved on to asking for stars, starters and draft picks in exchange for Butler. A source said Taylor has been in regular contact with Butler’s camp, assuring them that the team is working toward completing a deal. Taylor has referred teams to go through Layden and Thibodeau for any trade requests and on Saturday Taylor spoke with Thibodeau and Layden to tell them the organization should try to complete a deal for Butler quickly. These stances could be posturing on the part of the Wolves or on the part of rival teams to maximize leverage. Other teams might want to paint the picture of dysfunction in the Wolves’ organization in order to make them more desperate to accept a bad deal. Thibodeau and Layden might be slow playing their responses in order to get teams to up their offers and buy more time for a trade market to develop in a tricky time just before the season begins. Layden disputed that notion at Monday’s media day, saying the timing of the request didn’t dampen the kind of trade market that exists for Butler. Thibodeau said nothing changed from Monday to Tuesday. “I’m going to reiterate that we’re trying to make the best deal for the Timberwolves,” Thibodeau said. “That’s what we have to look after. That’s what my job is. That’s what Scott’s job is and obviously a move of this magnitude, Glen is involved with it too just as he was with [Karl-Anthony Towns’ extension] because those are major decisions.” Butler remained in the Twin Cities on Tuesday and worked out at a local gym. On Monday, he played a pickup basketball game in Minneapolis. The official line is that Butler needs a week to continue rehabilitating his right wrist after Butler had surgery on the wrist in July. Thibodeau said he expects Butler back on the team after a week if the Wolves have not dealt him by then.
Seriously, I'm all for players taking matters in their own hands, but it's getting out of hand. This late trade request thing, not showing up for media day is just weak and handcuffing a franchise who traded for you. I don't see how you can spin this any other way. That Butler wants to leave I get, he's probably fed up after a year of weak stuff from KAT & Wiggins, but maybe also Thibs yelling. I mean, it's annoying to watch a game because he yells so loud you can hear it during the broadcast. Still, the way he's going about it, that's inexcusable to be honest. Getting paid millions and dare not face the music. Same goes for Kawhi and probably other examples I cannot think of right now.
