According to ESPN, the Minnesota Timberwolves intend on keeping their all-star Jimmy Butler, despite his trade request after his meeting with team president and head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Teams have been calling Minnesota’s front office on the possibility of trading for Butler, however, their inquiries are getting rebuffed.
Thibodeau’s initial reaction to the trade was that he intends on winning now and if they go through with trading Butler, it will hinder their chances of making the playoffs for the second time in a row. The Timberwolves missed the playoffs for 13 consecutive years before Butler’s arrival.
Butler prefers to be traded to the Los Angeles Clippers and has also expressed interest in playing for the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets. Each of these teams is capable of bringing in another star to play with Jimmy Butler this offseason and give Jimmy Butler the max contract he’s looking for as well.
Butler wants a trade to transpire before the Timberwolves media day on Monday and plans on leaving the organization in free agency this summer.
Butler, a four-time all-star, is an elite two-way player in today’s NBA. He averaged 22.2 points 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists last season and contributed towards making the Timberwolves a playoff team last season.
