NBA
Jimmy Butler Has Requested A Trade From The Timberwolves
Finally, the saga of will he or won’t he of Jimmy Butler staying or leaving with the Minnesota Timberwolves has ended. After the meeting on Tuesday between Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau in Los Angeles, Butler has requested a trade. He has given them three teams where he wants to be traded to. The Timberwolves better act soon while his trade value is still high.
Possible Spots For Jimmy Butler
The teams that Butler has said he wanted to end up have been the Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, and New York Knicks. All three teams have room this next off-season to offer Butler a max contract next summer.
Clippers Offer
The Clippers offer sheet can contain the best overall NBA ready talent that still keeps them competitive in the Western Conference. Players that can be packaged for it are Avery Bradley, Tobias Harris and most likely a pick to. Bradley is the 3 and D player the Timberwolves are in such desperate need of. Harris is also a stretch-4 that has become the new trend in the league. He also can play small forward in certain lineups. This would also answer Butler’s wanting to go to Los Angeles where he has wanted to be since his rookie contract extension.
Nets Possibilities
The Nets offer is more multiple productive role players, which might not be the best considering what the Timberwolves would be giving up. Players that could be involved with the trade would be three-point specialist Allen Crabbe, breakout player Spencer Dinwiddie, athletic prospect Rondae-Hollis Jefferson, and finally some first round picks. The Nets will have enough space to sign two superstars to Max contracts next off-season. Adding Butler could attract other max players like Kyrie Irving, whose contract is also up next year.
Knicks Package
The Knicks have been a team that has been on the Butler radar since the rumors started. Package that can be made could include 3 and D player Courtney Lee, and raw young prospect Frank Ntilikina. Ntilikina is a long, defensive point guard that has gained more muscle and has grown taller this off-season. He’s a player that Thibodeau would love. A pick would probably be thrown in too.
Now, that all the speculation of what Butler wants. Now it’s time for action by the Timberwolves. They better act now than wait until the trade deadline in February because if they wait, things just might get ugly.
Photo Credit to The Wealth Record via Flickr
