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Jon K and Shams have a diary of the whole sordid affair. I've just started reading it myself and I'm already mad at Thibs all over again. The better offers that were never taken, the not-so-subtle digs everyone threw at each other, and the day that Colonel Soreness was finally promoted to General. It's all here!
https://theathletic.com/542682/2018/11/12/jimmy-butler-saga-diary-of-dysfunction-a-day-by-day-look/
The great NBA soap opera of 2018 was nearing its end, but there was one more plot twist to go before the finale.
After nearly two months of uncertainty, Jimmy Butler had come out of the Timberwolves’ loss on Wednesday night to the Los Angeles Lakers with a new plan. After sitting out two games in a five-game stretch to “rest,” many expected him not to play on Friday night in Sacramento, the last of a five-game road trip. His approach was aimed at reducing his chances of getting injured before being granted the trade he so desperately wanted and also underscoring his message that his desire to be moved was unchanged. The Timberwolves had gone 0 for 4 to that point on their road trip, and Butler’s minutes were through the roof. So he went into the Kings game having reached something of a breaking point.
Butler decided he would play on Friday night, but he viewed it as the fork in the road. If the Timberwolves didn’t find a deal to fulfill his long-simmering trade request after that, he would begin to sit indefinitely, league sources told The Athletic.
The Kings defeated Minnesota 121-110 to push the Timberwolves to 4-9 and a winless road trip; Butler had 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in 41 minutes. He had played almost 124 minutes in the last three games, all losses, and at halftime of the final one, the Wolves were informed that this was it for Butler, sources said.
The Wolves were at a breaking point of their own. Tom Thibodeau’s hopes that they would play well at the start of the season and convince Butler to change his mind were dashed and there was growing concern in the organization about the precedent Butler was setting as young cornerstones Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, among others, watched it unfold.
After the game, Thibodeau told his staff in a meeting that they had to move Butler, league sources said. In fact, the Timberwolves nearly sat Butler in Friday’s game because they had traction on a possible trade, sources said.
Butler played anyway as the wheels for the first blockbuster trade of the NBA season were set in motion.
Everything came together on Saturday morning, with the Wolves shipping Butler to Philadelphia along with rookie Justin Patton for Robert Covington, Dario Saric, Jerryd Bayless and a 2022 second-round pick.
It was the culmination of a long, drama-filled saga that began way back in September. Over the last eight weeks, The Athletic kept track of the twists and turns through conversations with sources throughout the league.
What follows is a diary of the dysfunction, according to those directly and indirectly involved.
Sept. 15: ‘An honest conversation’
Butler is seriously contemplating his future with the Timberwolves, and word spreads that he and Thibodeau will have a meeting to “have an honest conversation” about the All-Star’s future in Minnesota. It’s an ominous sign to require such a dialogue so close to the start of training camp, coming after a summer in which Butler made at least three other efforts to — in May, July and August — to make it clear that he did not see a long-term future in Minnesota.
The signs first came after Game 5 of the Wolves’ first-round playoff exit against the Houston Rockets, when Butler did not fly home with the team and skipped his season-ending medical exam. Butler and his representatives also told the Timberwolves that he did not plan on re-signing with the team in the summer of 2019 in July and again in August.
Knowing how important Butler was both to the Wolves’ success on the court and Thibodeau’s chances of being a successful team president and coach, Thibs did not take steps to explore deals for Butler during the summer. At least one team, unaware that Butler had already tried to steer Wolves leadership toward a trade, reached out to the Wolves in July to gauge Butler’s availability and was quickly shot down.
Sept. 18: The meeting with Thibs
Still optimistic that Butler will be ready to report for camp, Thibodeau hops a flight in the morning telling those at team headquarters that everything was fine. He arrives at Butler’s house in Los Angeles and a tense meeting ensues.
Butler tells Thibodeau, the coach he credits with helping him develop from a late first-round pick who barely played as a rookie into an All-Star, that he wants out.
Thibodeau tells Butler that he can’t trade him, that he needs his star player if the Wolves are going to make a second straight playoff run in 2018-19.
Butler holds his ground, telling Thibodeau that no level of success in the upcoming season will change his mind.
When owner Glen Taylor becomes aware of the impasse, he is surprised. He was unaware that Butler and his representatives had expressed a position that he would not re-sign with Minnesota earlier in the summer.
It’s a crushing blow to Thibodeau’s blueprint for rebuilding the Timberwolves, one centered on the 2017 trade that sent Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen to the Bulls for Butler and Justin Patton. Butler was supposed to be Thibodeau’s extension on the court after the hard-nosed coach delivered underwhelming results with a very young team in his first season on the job. And they had just teamed up to win 47 games and end the franchise’s 13-season playoff drought.
It won’t be until the All-Star has a one-on-one conversation with the owner after his sit-down with Thibodeau that the gravity of the situation finally starts to sink in.
Butler tells Taylor that he never approached the owner to voice his displeasure because of his long-standing relationship and deep trust with Thibodeau led him to believe that the coach would understand where he was coming from and respect his wishes.
While initially disappointed that Butler waited so long to come to him, Taylor understands Butler’s allegiance to Thibodeau and starts to work on finding a trade to accommodate him.
It follows a familiar script in Timberwolves history. Taylor has long been willing to get directly involved and help broker deals or address concerns for disgruntled players who did not feel like their messages were being received by the front office. Al Jefferson, Kevin Love and Corey Brewer are just a few on a list that also includes Mike James, who was represented by Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee.
But there is still plenty of drama to come.
Sept. 21: The trade dialogue begins
Butler’s desire becomes public in the same week that the NBA holds its preseason meeting of the Board of Governors. One of the league’s longest-tenured owners, Taylor has always enjoyed broad support among his peers, having twice served as chairman of the board. But on this day, as the meetings were concluding in New York, he is the most popular man in the room.
One by one, owners and executives from interested teams approach Taylor to gauge his interest in moving Butler. Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden were taking a hard-line stance in the early days of the situation, so owners found Taylor in New York to start real dialogue.
Taylor tells them to approach Thibodeau and Layden and circle back if they can’t get anywhere. By and large, according to three teams who tried to engage, they got nowhere. Layden would answer phone calls and quickly proclaim that Butler was off limits and they were not going to trade him, all in an effort to find some leverage in an impossible situation.
Bewildered, league officials reach back out to Taylor for an explanation.
This is also when the Sixers first start to quietly enter the picture. Several players begin to reach out to Wolves counterparts to get a scouting report on Butler the player and Butler the teammate.
Sept. 22: Mixed messages
After fielding several calls from flummoxed teams saying they can’t get a response from the front office, Taylor speaks directly to Thibodeau and Layden and makes his desires loud and clear: don’t wait for the phone to ring, initiate the calls and bring the available deals to him for consideration.
He makes the decree after personally finishing off a five-year, $190 million extension for Karl-Anthony Towns, clearing the way for them to put their full attention on trading Butler.
As reports of Taylor’s edict come to light, several teams, including the Nets, Heat and Rockets prepare to get in the game. But they continue to meet resistance from Thibodeau and Layden, who maintain that they still see a scenario where Butler can remain with the Timberwolves.
Some owners start to consider subverting Thibodeau and Layden and going right to Taylor with their offers in hopes of fostering better communication and easier negotiating. But Taylor resists, not wanting to make a unilateral move and hoping to establish some consensus for such an important decision.
The group preaches patience, hoping that it will bring more substantive offers to the table.
Sept. 23: Miami enters the fray
It’s a Sunday, and many around the NBA begin to believe that Minnesota is progressing with a team on a trade. That team is Miami, which placed the first of several different frameworks on the table — a package centered around Goran Dragic, Justise Winslow and a draft pick. It proves to be just the start of a long trade process, and no deal forms before the season officially gets underway Monday at media day.
The Wolves are hesitant because they already have Jeff Teague, Derrick Rose and Tyus Jones as point guards and want to find a suitable replacement for Butler on the wing so they can stay competitive in the Western Conference.
Sept. 24: Media day
While some think Thibodeau’s obstinate stance is a negotiating ploy, more and more signs start to show that he is genuine. He meets with Butler on the morning of media day to try to convince a player that was supposed to be as close to him as any he’s ever coached to remain in Minnesota. That meeting causes Butler to be skeptical that Thibodeau is making a concerted effort to grant his wishes.
Thibodeau and Layden hold a joint press conference later that day and address the situation head on. The message: This isn’t the first time a player has requested a trade, and the Timberwolves are not going to be forced to accept pennies on the dollar.
“He’s a top-10 player in the league,” Thibodeau says. “We’re not going to make a bad deal. If it’s a good deal, then we’re interested.”
Sept. 28: The meeting in Mankato
With no movement and the season fast approaching, Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, makes the 90-mile drive to Mankato to visit Taylor at his home. Butler was initially discussing making the trip as well to personally plea for action, but the frustrated player stays back in the Twin Cities.
Lee and Taylor have a long heart-to-heart about the situation, laying all of the cards on the table. Lee offers to help facilitate a deal, and Philadelphia is one of the teams targeted as a desirable landing spot.
The two part ways believing more than ever that a deal can be completed.
Sept. 29: Butler and Taylor talk
After Butler decided not to drive for the face-to-face with Taylor, the two speak on the phone. Taylor assures Butler that he is trying to get a deal done and asks for patience as the process plays out. A wary Butler takes the owner at his word and continues with his workouts while he remains away from the team.
Oct. 1: A tug of war for leverage
The Wolves are in Los Angeles for the preseason, and Layden reaches out to the Butler camp in an effort to arrange a meeting between Butler and Thibodeau to further discuss the situation. Butler is hesitant, his frustration growing that a deal has not been completed while his camp gets feedback that the asking price is high.
From the Wolves’ side, Thibodeau and Layden continue to present a united front in conversations with other teams. They make it clear to teams that they won’t bow to public pressure and that teams better bring more to the table if they want a player of Butler’s caliber.
Oct. 2: The dinner in L.A.
Butler is getting antsy. The team had its training camp and departed for the West Coast for preseason games against Golden State on Sept. 29 and the Clippers in L.A. on Oct. 3. He stays behind and works out at the team facility early in the trip, then flies out to L.A. for a checkup on his wrist, which had minor surgery in August, and to reconnect with some teammates.
Butler watched the game against the Warriors on television and sent text messages to rookie Josh Okogie offering encouragement. While in L.A., he dines with several teammates, including Taj Gibson and Jeff Teague, the night before the Clippers game. It’s becoming more and more of a possibility, in his eyes and others’, that Butler will start the season in a Timberwolves uniform.
Oct. 4: Time running short
The Wolves return home from L.A., and anticipation starts building for a possible Butler trade. There are only three preseason games remaining, meaning Thibodeau will have precious little time for new players to acclimate to the team before the season begins.
The Wolves board their flight home, but Butler is not with them. He will not be returning to practice this week, as some with the Wolves thought was possible.
Oct. 5: Miami gets close again
The Wolves and Heat close in on a new deal centered upon Butler and promising, young up-and-comer Josh Richardson, exchanging medical exams. The framework of the proposed deal includes a first-round pick and the sides continue to discuss. After initially being reluctant to include Richardson in a deal, Heat president Pat Riley places the 25-year-old, two-way stalwart in talks to try to get a deal done.
In some ways, this emboldens Thibodeau and Layden. They have been criticized for dragging their feet. But in doing so, they have gained a significant concession with the Heat’s inclusion of Richardson.
Oct. 6: The Miami deal collapses, and Thibs gets booed
Butler leaves Los Angeles, flies right past the Twin Cities and heads to New York for the weekend.
The Wolves seem to be continuing to make serious headway with Miami on a potential deal. Richardson’s youth, two-way ability and the cost certainty of his four-year, $42 million contract make him an ideal target for the Wolves.
But the deal falls apart. Who is to blame for the talks collapsing depends on whom you ask. Around the NBA, the belief is that Thibodeau made a last-second ask to up the ante that caused the Heat to pull back. The Wolves quietly push back on that, alleging that the Heat were just as responsible for a deal not getting done.
That night, the team looks flat in their lone home preseason game against Milwaukee. Thibodeau is booed loudly. Less than 10,000 fans show up, an ominous sign for the empty arenas to come during the early portion of the regular season.
Oct. 8: A warning of what’s to come
Butler returns from New York to Minnesota even more frustrated with the lack of progress on a deal. He was planning on Miami, starting to shift his focus that way and put the last three weeks behind him. Now he finds himself back where he did not want to be, and he’s not letting Thibodeau off the hook.
He works out at Target Center and then has a meeting with Thibodeau to lay it all out. He is not changing his mind. He still wants a trade.
He tells his coach that if he has to return to the team, he plans to practice only with the third team and raise hell while doing it.
Thibodeau, meanwhile, isn’t concerned. Butler is a fiery personality, and the team has shown precious little edge in an underwhelming preseason to this point. The team needs a jolt.
Butler is ready to provide just that.
Oct. 9: Frustrating running high
The Wolves begin preparing to have Butler on the roster for opening night, now just eight days away. Deals are dissipating, frustration is running high and Taylor remains clear that his wish is for a deal to be completed eventually.
Several team officials talk to Butler and implore him to remain patient. At various points of the conversations, Butler seems open and accepting of the situation. At others, not so much. He shows up at the team facility in the morning but does not attend practice.
Oct. 10: The Practice
Butler practices, just like he promised he would, berating Thibodeau and Layden, challenging teammates and teaming up with third-teamers in a triumphant return. Jimmy was back.
“Y’all better hurry up,” he barks as he hit the court. “I’m only here for an hour.”
He arrives, he plays, he causes a scene. And then he bounces, strutting off the court and back to his suburban Minneapolis home for a televised interview with ESPN in which he says nothing is fixed and once again challenges Towns and Wiggins to match his level of intensity.
In a call with Taylor that evening, Layden assures the owner that it’s not a concern. Wolves officials are quietly ecstatic with the intensity Butler brings. Some teammates, including Gibson, Teague and Derrick Rose, see no issue. They love the competitiveness.
But as members of the organization watch Butler’s interview, the reservations about keeping him on the roster only grow.
Oct. 11: The players-only meeting
Butler calls for a players-only meeting after Thibodeau cancels practice, informing his teammates that his issues are not with them — but with management for the handling of his contract and other issues. Several players speak up in the meeting, but Butler leads the session and tells the players to worry about the game and shut everything else out.
“I got Thibs,” Butler tells them.
The team leaves for a preseason game in Milwaukee, but Butler remains back in Minneapolis.
Oct. 12: Towns is just ready to play Milwaukee
In a short media availability before the team’s morning shootaround, Thibodeau’s first since Butler’s explosive return to practice two days prior, the coach essentially defends Butler’s actions and insists things are being overblown.
“The important thing is, we have to do what we think is best for our team and we always will do that,” Thibodeau said. “We’re always going to put the team first.”
Towns, who has worked hard to stay above the fray and not get drawn in to the middle of the drama, declines to answer several questions about Butler, conjuring NFL running back Marshawn Lynch by repeatedly offering, “I’m just ready to play Milwaukee tonight.”
It was the first public sign that he was growing tired of the constant questions.
“Are you tired of hearing me say, ‘We’re playing basketball today here in Milwaukee?'” he says, flatly.
Little did he know that they were still nearly a month away from any resolution.
Oct. 13: Butler sees the writing on the wall
Butler becomes resigned to the fact that he’s not going anywhere. The writing is on the wall. No deals appear close and so he starts preparing mentally and physically to play in San Antonio on opening night of the regular season.
Oct. 14: Taylor and Butler reach an understanding
After all of the attention given to the last time Butler practiced with the team, Taylor makes the drive up from Mankato to watch this session and see things for himself. He and his wife Becky are in attendance, and there are no blow-ups this time.
Taylor meets with Butler that day, and the two come to an understanding. Taylor will continue to work hard to find a trade for Butler and Butler will play and be a professional until that deal comes around.
“This isn’t personal. That’s my message to everybody. It’s not personal,” Butler says. “Especially to my guys. We’re the ones who have to run up and down this court every single day. I make sure to remind them every single day that I’m paying attention, I’m watching. I’m helping. I’m studying the film just like you are, ’cause I want to help everyone to be better. I want y’all to win games.
“My name is still attached to this thing. I’m still here. So we’d better win.”
Meanwhile, in Miami, Riley has a meeting with his players and informs them that the franchise is not making a trade for Butler and will start the season as-is, remaining loyal to the current roster.
Oct. 17: The season begins
The Wolves open the season in San Antonio against the Spurs. Against many expectations, there are no outward signs of turmoil. Players are cordial in the locker room and play as a unit on the court.
The Wolves lose, 112-108, but walk out believing that they can weather this storm and play through the distraction.
“I loved the spirit of the team,” Thibodeau says. “I thought there was good fight to us. There are a lot of good things and it also points out a lot of things that we have to work on to improve.”
Butler shows plenty of rust from the lack of training camp work, but he still scores 23 points on 9-for-23 shooting. As the game wears on, his play sharpens. Butler makes clear that as much as he loves to play, his return does not change his mindset, and that his players-only meeting was partly to ensure teammates he would handle any team-related issues of theirs with Thibodeau.
“This isn’t changing me up, hell no,” Butler tells The Athletic in San Antonio. “I do what I do. I’m going to guard to the best of my ability, score, get my rhythm back and help my team win. When I’m out there, nothing else matters. I just want to win.
“Just hoop, I told them, and I think that I can get Thibs to relax a little bit. He’s never going to say anything about offense as long as you go down there and play with effort on the defensive end and get a couple stops. It’s whenever you’re not getting stops when he starts yelling. I think Thibs has calmed down a lot, and guys are playing with effort. It’s never about offense. We’re always going to score enough points. It’s all about getting stops.
“Thibs didn’t exert as much energy as he always does the past few weeks. He needs to do that more: Sit down, take the load off and trust your guys to get a W.”
Oct. 19: A boo-filled home opener
The Wolves play their home opener in front of a cranky crowd. The fans are angry at Thibodeau for how he’s handled this mess. They’re angry at Butler for wanting out. Both are booed lustily during pregame introductions.
Glen and Becky Taylor sit courtside as they always do and hear the heckling from fans and see the nervous looks from sponsors and longtime season-ticket holders.
Thibodeau grins when he hears the boos directed at him. Butler is fueled by them. He scores 33 points on 12 shots in a win over the Cavaliers, getting MVP chants by the end of a bizarre night.
“I knew they was going to switch up on me,” Butler says of the fans. “That’s part of it. I think there’s some more boos to come one of these days.”
Oct. 22: A great game that still shows the tension
The Wolves play one of their best games of the season in a home win over Indiana. Butler and Towns combine for 37 points and 18 rebounds and the Wolves defense makes its first appearance of the season.
But there are still signs of tension coursing through the arena.
After an emphatic swat of Victor Oladipo at the rim leads to a 3-pointer by Jeff Teague and a timeout by the Pacers, Butler storms back to the bench, looks at Taylor and says, “That’s why you pay me!”
Oct. 25: The Rockets step in
As the situation drags on, the Rockets get off to a poor start. They are 1-3, and GM Daryl Morey is trying to get back into the conversation to land Butler to team with James Harden, Chris Paul and Clint Capela.
So Morey offers four first-round picks along with the injured Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss to try to shake Butler loose from the Wolves, league sources said. The attention-grabbing offer has Butler cautiously hopeful that it might be enough to get Thibodeau and Taylor to budge.
But the Wolves are unimpressed. Thibodeau is in win-now mode and has little use for picks that may not materialize for years. And Taylor isn’t enamored with the idea of a full-on rebuild either. Knight and Chriss bring little immediate value — with Knight out indefinitely and Chriss struggling to find his way in the league — and the proposal is rejected, sources said.
Oct. 26: Butler goes MIA, and the Wolves get blown out
As the Timberwolves prepare for a home game against the revamped Milwaukee Bucks, they show up to Target Center for the morning shootaround and Butler is nowhere to be found.
One day after the Rockets offer is reported, Butler doesn’t show up at all. Internally, eyebrows raise all over the place. The Bucks, one of the teams who kicked the tires on Butler very early in the process, get wind of it as well.
More than an hour later, the Wolves announce that Butler is questionable because of an illness. Butler spent most of the day resting, sources said, and woke up a few hours before the game. He plays in the game, going 2 for 11 with four points in a 30-point loss, the worst of the Thibodeau era.
When asked how he felt during the game, Butler says, “I’m cool. I’m good. If I suit up, I gotta produce. I didn’t do that. I’ll have another one of these. I’m not worried about it.”
Oct. 29: A glimpse of what might have been
Whispers persisted all weekend that Butler could sit out the game against the Lakers on a Monday night, but he shows up to battle LeBron James, and he and Towns offer a glimpse at what might have been in an entertaining victory.
Butler scores 32 points and hits 6 of 7 3-pointers, including all five in the fourth quarter of a jaw-dropping performance. Towns has 25 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and four blocks.
“No one has ever questioned the talent in this locker room, they’ve just questioned our execution,” Towns says. “We have a long way to go before we expect ourselves to be where we need to be.”
Oct. 31: General soreness
Butler takes the game against the Jazz off due to “scheduled rest” for what Thibodeau calls “general soreness,” and a meme is born.
Thibodeau insists that the absence has nothing to do with Butler’s trade request and was a mutual decision. But league sources tell The Athletic that it is related to his situation, his ongoing frustration about the lack of movement and could lead to more absences. Butler has been sore due to missing training camp, and a player who prides himself on his toughness is also taking extra care to make sure he is healthy for whatever team acquires him in an eventual trade.
Entering the game short-handed, Derrick Rose erupts for a career-high 50 points in a stirring win in front of another paltry crowd. The ensuing celebration shows a euphoria that has rarely been seen on this team.
After the game, Taylor enters the jubilant locker room and, with Butler watching, points to Rose and says, “That’s a leader.”
Though Butler has many backers in the Wolves locker room, the implication is lost on no one.
Nov. 4: Butler sits again
Butler sits out for rest for the second time in three games, this one in Portland on the front end of a back-to-back. The Trail Blazers drill the Wolves, winning by 30 points to drop Minnesota to 0-2 on the start of a daunting five-game West Coast trip. The saga goes on, and Butler’s low-key movement to expedite a trade continues.
Lee has been granted permission to speak independently with other teams willing to trade for Butler, and he spends time with the 76ers.
Nov. 6: The final offers come in
After Butler plays 39 minutes in a loss to the Clippers that dropped the Wolves to 0-3 on the trip, the Wolves have conversations with the Heat about a possible trade. But the Heat inform the Wolves that Richardson is no longer on the table after his stellar start to the season, and the Wolves move on.
Minnesota begins to engage seriously with Philadelphia, New Orleans and Houston. New Orleans’ package is headlined by Nikola Mirotic and an unprotected first-round draft pick and the Rockets’ proposal has Eric Gordon, Nene and two first-round picks, sources said. The 76ers come with their proposal around Robert Covington and Dario Saric, leaving the Timberwolves to deliberate.
Nov. 7: A reality impossible to deny any longer
Butler plays 43 minutes in a loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles. The Wolves are now 4-8 and 0-7 on the road in the season, wiping out any dream Thibodeau had of the team playing well and convincing Butler to change his mind.
The 76ers make another offer to the Timberwolves as well, looking to make some changes to their own roster after an underwhelming start.
With the reality harder to deny than ever, the Wolves start to give it serious consideration. There is also internal discussion about shutting Butler down until a deal can be completed.
Taylor, Layden and Thibodeau are in constant communication as the end of the line nears.
Butler grows more and more irritated at the constant line of questioning he hears from the media about the situation.
Nov. 9: The home stretch
On the morning the Wolves are scheduled to finish their road trip in Sacramento, real movement on a trade begins. Philadelphia, New Orleans and Houston continue dialogue with the Timberwolves.
A report emerges from the New York Times early in the day that the two sides have reached an agreement that Butler will be limited to 32 minutes per game going forward. This is met with skepticism given that Butler played 82 minutes in the previous two games and Thibodeau has a reputation for ignoring those kinds of edicts.
Sure enough, Butler plays 41 minutes in a loss to the Kings. And he makes it clear to Sam Amick after the game that something has to give.
“We’ve got fucking 14 other guys,” he says.
After the game, Thibodeau finally relents. He understands that the situation is untenable, and with five straight home games coming up in front of a fan base that is abandoning the team, they have to move him. Layden is spotted at the hotel bar, perhaps laying the final groundwork.
Nov. 10: The trade gets done
With a deal nearing the finish line, Layden and 76ers general manager Elton Brand work to finalize an agreement, and Taylor and Sixers owner Josh Harris place their final touches on it. Saric, Covington, Bayless and a 2022 second-round pick are on their way to Minnesota for Butler and Patton. A trade call with the NBA is set for Nov. 12. All told, it’s a solid return, especially considering the Wolves’ lack of bargaining position.
Word spreads before the players are able to be formally notified. The Wolves are sitting on the team plane ready to head home from Sacramento when it becomes public via The Athletic.
“Knowing him as long as I’ve known him, I think he was little taken back by it, a little bit shocked,” says Gibson, who was sitting next to Butler on the plane as he processed the news. “No matter what, even if you want to ask for a trade, if you want to get traded, when you finally get traded, it’s kind of like a weird feeling. Like, wow, it’s really happening. That’s the moment I felt for him.”
Nov. 11: Time to move on
The Wolves hold their first practice since Butler was traded. Their reinforcements have not yet arrived, and they insist that Butler was not a distraction for them. But now that it is all over, they are looking forward to moving on.
“I just think it was this stuff going back and forth. I thought the locker room was great. But just with management and things like that, it’s always tough,” Gibson says. “When we’re trying to win games and we’re not winning games, when you lose, in the locker room it’s kinda like a black cloud. Everybody is down on themselves a little bit. But like I said. New day, new guys coming in. just have to push forward.”
— Sam Amick also contributed to this report. ------
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