Earlier today, Jimmy Butler shocked the NBA world when it was revealed that he had requested a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Jimmy Butler has requested a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves, league sources tell me and @JonKrawczynski. Butler has given Minnesota a list of one-to-three teams with whom he's open to signing extension, in anticipation of trade.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 19, 2018
Minnesota's Jimmy Butler has three preferred destinations for a trade, league sources tell ESPN: The Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks. Those three teams have max cap space to sign Butler as a free agent in July.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 19, 2018
It’s been known for some time that Butler had issues with his younger teammates Karl Anthony-Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
Vis Sporting News
Sources familiar with the situation told Sporting News that Butler is uncertain about playing with Wiggins — Butler had problems last season with Wiggins, his work ethic and his approach on the defensive end of the floor. Thibodeau has had similar problems with Wiggins in the past, too, and he had some hope that bringing a tough-minded veteran like Butler into the locker room would spur Wiggins to improve. It didn’t.
After Butler’s trade request went viral, Andrew Wiggins brother, Nick, posted this tweet taking a shot at Butler.
https://twitter.com/World_Wide_Wob/status/1042475158995443713
Butler then referenced Nick’s “hallelujah” tweet in an Instagram story and wants Nick to “keep that same energy”.
https://twitter.com/World_Wide_Wob/status/1042588342632763393
The NBA season is still months away but the drama is back.