The Jimmy Butler trade saga has dragged on longer than anyone involved wants.
The Timberwolves want to prepare for their season with the team they’ll take into it (ideally, though maybe not realistically, with Butler on the roster). Butler wants to leave Minnesota. Other teams want him on their roster.
Could we be nearing a resolution?
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
Miami, Minnesota have been consistently engaged in Jimmy Butler talks for several days, with Heat pushing Timberwolves for an answer today on a revised offer, league sources tell ESPN. Minnesota’s conversations are relatively sparse elsewhere; remain focused on Miami.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 4, 2018
Sources: Barring a trade, Tom Thibodeau is still determined to get Butler back with the team for start of season. Butler hasn't made a final decision on when he'll join team and practice, but he doesn't plan to miss regular season games if his wrist is healthy. https://t.co/iQypvZ88ad
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 4, 2018
This is an odd timeline from the Heat. The Timberwolves play at the Clippers tonight, and of course Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau is also the team’s president. He’s kind of busy right now.
And this comes just after word talks between Minnesota and Miami got sidetracked. I wonder how close a deal is relative to this just being about frustration.
And what if the teams don’t agree to a trade? Thibodeau has evaded follow-up questions about when Butler will be required to report, and this is only slightly more direct. “If his wrist is healthy” leaves plenty of gray area for Butler to stay away from the Timberwolves.