NBA Star Jimmy Butler Requests Trade Away From Minnesota Timberwolves

Notable players, including Butler, are all slated to be unrestricted free agents. Quite a bit of this has to do with the fact that he is from the Houston area, Tomball more specifically.

The Miami Heat have been interested in Butler too, league sources said, although the Heat don’t have the salary-cap space in July to pursue him.

On a related note, Wojnarowski notes that Butler has little interest in joining the Los Angeles Lakers following LeBron James‘ arrival. While fans are speculating on possible trade packages to bring him to LA, it may be better for the franchise to just stand pat.

This, of course, would be incredible. People forget that in 1992, he demanded a trade in a very ugly situation sparked by the Rockets thinking that he was faking a hamstring injury.

The “SJ” addition was assumed to be in reference to former National Basketball Association player Stephen Jackson, who shared his own thoughts on the rumors on Twitter earlier in the day.

“They’re going to resist this trade request, I think, for the foreseeable future”.

The Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets are the other teams reportedly on Butler’s wish list. Equipped with a blend of solid young and veteran players like Tobias Harris, Lou Williams and Patrick Beverley, the Clippers have pieces that can help the Timberwolves right away. Butler wants out. And he isn’t the only one, as Nick Wiggins (briefly with the Timberwolves in 2015 training camp) tweeted “Hallelujah” before deleting.

“We’re in a good place with them”, Perry said. My assumption is that the Timberwolves decide to hold on to Jimmy for the first 20-30 games and let teams feel out Butler’s health and see if they can give up more for the 4-time All-Star. It took a star and a great role player for Toronto to get Kawhi Leonard this offseason, another great player on both ends.

Thing is, it comes with risk – because what happens next is not up to Butler. The team is still hoping to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

Knicks GM Scott Perry said their philosophy doesn’t mean they aren’t constantly “evaluating” the roster this season to make changes, but he said now is not the time for big trade talk because they haven’t had a single practice.