Just like last season, Jimmy Butler and the Minnesota Timberwolves traveled to San Antonio for their opener (8:30 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass).
After all the disruption caused by Butler’s trade request that became public a week before training camp began, no deal has been made. So the four-time All-Star, who took part in today’s morning shootaround, will be on the court facing off against the Spurs with his Timberwolves teammates tonight, no matter the awkwardness that might be lingering.
Jimmy getting in his work this morning… #Spurs vs #Timberwolves tonight @TheAthleticNBA 🎥 pic.twitter.com/grYDa581ba
— Jabari Young (@JabariJYoung) October 17, 2018
“I’m planning on playing him, and if he feels good he’ll be ready to go,” Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said after an abbreviated practice on Tuesday, before the team departed for the airport for the trip.
Butler has only participated in four days of on-court workouts with the team, starting with his raucous appearance a week ago. Thibodeau canceled practice the following day, and Butler did not accompany the team to the preseason game on Friday because of what was officially announced as rehabilitation for his right hand that was surgically repaired in July.
According to multiple reports, Butler and Wolves owner Glen Taylor reached an an agreement that boils down to the Wolves continuing to seek a trade for Butler and Butler agreeing to play up to par. Taylor confirmed as much in an interview with the Star Tribune’s Sid Hartman on Tuesday.
“The latest is he is going to be going to practice every day, which he has been, and plans to play in games,” said Taylor, who also owns the Star Tribune. “He will be a regular team player. What I said to him in the meantime is our GM, Scott Layden, will be talking to other teams to see if there is a trade that works.”
When asked if he believes Butler will give 100 percent, Taylor said there is no question. He added that Butler will be ready for the season opener Wednesday at San Antonio and the home opener against Cleveland on Friday.
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Taylor said that as far as he can tell, there is no chance Butler will remain with the Wolves beyond this season.
“That is not part of the plan, but as you know, things can change,” Taylor said. “But that is not what we have agreed to.”
As for the future of Thibodeau, Taylor told the newspaper that the coach’s job is safe. Taylor credited Thibodeau for trying to help mend the rift between Butler and the Wolves and says he still has “faith” in Thibodeau’s ability to do the job.
After another day off for the team, Butler was back at it with the rest of the Wolves on Sunday and made available for questions afterward to local reporters for the first time. His first public comments on his status came in an ESPN interview a few hours after his demonstrative arrival last week.
“They want me to go out here and hoop to the best of my abilities,” Butler said. “Make sure I’m healthy, compete, because that’s what I love to do, and do it for the guys in the same jerseys as me.”
Whether Butler’s teammates are happy to have him around while he’s simultaneously wanting out, well, that depends on the guy. Fellow All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns was clipped in his replies to questions about Butler’s presence.
“Having his talent on the court is going to give us a lot to work with,” Towns said on Monday. “We’re doing the best we can to make that adjustment and make sure that everyone’s comfortable.”
Newcomer Anthony Tolliver delved a little deeper into the topic of Butler on Tuesday.
“He’s going to say some words, but even if he doesn’t say a word, he’s a leader. He’s someone you can look at and say, `All right, I can rock with you,’ because I know what your intentions are,” Tolliver said. “Just being around him the last 10 days or whatever it’s been, I can tell instantly what type of impact he has on this team.”
There’s no doubt about getting Butler’s best on the court, at least, for as long as he’s still with the Wolves.
“It’s not in his DNA to slack,” Tolliver said.
The Wolves lost four of their five preseason games, allowing an average of 123.8 points per game. Meaningless exhibition or not, their performance left much to be desired while the Butler saga swirled around the team.
“We did not take preseason as seriously as we should have. That’s all of our faults. I’m not going to blame it on one or two people or three or four,” Tolliver said. “We should have just approached it a lot better. We didn’t, but we can’t control that now. All we can control is today, tomorrow and the future.”
Who knows whether Butler, who can become a free agent next summer, will continue to be a part of that?
“Everything’s fluid,” Thibodeau said. “We’re always looking to improve the club any way we can.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
