With Karl-Anthony Towns reportedly agreeing to a five-year extension, it appears Minnesota is prepared to move on from four-time All-Star Jimmy Butler.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that, after differing agendas between ownership and management, the franchise is “aligning its organizational focus on next step of trading” Butler. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski adds Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor has made it clear to team president and coach Tom Thibodeau that he wants the disgruntled All-Star dealt sooner rather than later.
Minnesota is aligning its organizational focus on next step of trading All-Star Jimmy Butler, league sources tell me and @JonKrawczynski.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 23, 2018
Sources: Minnesota owner Glen Taylor has made it clear to President/Coach Tom Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden that Jimmy Butler’s on the trade block and Taylor wants the front office moving to find a deal. Taylor is pushing for a fast resolution.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 23, 2018
Entering last season, Butler was heralded as the established star Minnesota needed to snap its playoff drought and bring along its talented young core. The first portion of those hopes came to fruition as the Timberwolves made the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
Now, however, the former Chicago Bull could very well have played his 64th and last game in a Timberwolves uniform just one year after Minnesota dealt Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen to acquire him. Butler reportedly asked the franchise to trade him last week.
With the Timberwolves’ front office now on the same page, fulfilling that request and moving on from Butler appears to be a high priority for Minnesota.
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