Jimmy Butler Adds An Arbitrary Deadline To His Trade Demand

Jimmy Butler, who has not practiced with the Timberwolves since September 25, still wants a trade out of Minnesota, and told head coach Tom Thibodeau as much on Monday, The Athletic reported today.

The Wolves better get it done by Friday—or else!

It’s unclear what the “else” is, but perhaps a Kawhi-style protest in the works. From the sounds of The Athletic’s report, Butler has been carefully avoiding his peers, working out at local Twin Cities health clubs, and only returning to the Wolves facility after the team left for a road trip. If he and Karl-Anthony Towns are “not fixable,” there’s only one road for Jimmy, and that’s out of town; the Wolves just locked in KAT for the five-year super-max. Butler may not have a whole lot of traditional leverage, but his timing also put the front office in a bind, and they sound as dysfunctional as ever:

Teams have lined up to try to negotiate with the Wolves, who are in an awful bargaining position given the timing of the request becoming public. Whether it is their nature or it comes from an effort to reclaim some leverage position, Thibodeau and [GM Scott] Layden are trying to remain patient and not be pressured into a deal they view as substandard. They know how important Butler is to the success of the team, and they’re looking for a solid return to help them for both the present and the future.

There have been mixed messages along the way from the Wolves front office as to who will make the final decision, but owner Glen Taylor has yet to step in and make the kind of unilateral decision that some league executives expected him to make.

What if everyone in this standoff is just extremely shitty at dealing with other people?

[ The Athletic]