As expected, Timberwolves head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau used Media Day to try and quash speculation that he and owner Glen Taylor were not on the same page regarding four-time All-Star Jimmy Butler. The latter was, indeed, on the trading block, he said, and he and general manager Scott Layden would seek the best deal possible from among those placed on the table. From the outside looking in, his pronouncements ran counter to news that he was bent on keeping his top scorer and defender and thereby avoiding a rebuild that would likely cost him his twin jobs.
To be sure, it didn’t take long for Thibodeau to see if things could still go the way he truly wanted. He met with Butler shortly thereafter and tried to argue the merits of keeping the status quo, knowing full well any development to the contrary would be tantamount to bidding goodbye to a playoff berth. Unfortunately, he failed to convince arguably the best two-way player in the National Basketball Association not named Kawhi Leonard to stay, thus putting himself on the clock as well.
It bears noting that, for all the disjointed signals the Timberwolves seem to be sending, they have not had a dearth of suitors. It’s a testament to Butler’s unique skill set and worth ethic that he continues to be a desirable target despite his relative inability to stay healthy, not to mention pronounced impatience with young talent. Through all the hemming and hawing by the front office, potential employers have come knocking. And because Taylor is rightly bent on finding a resolution to the impasse as soon as possible, a trade looks to happen sooner rather than later.
It doesn’t help, of course, that all and sundry know Butler already wants out, and to the point of refusing to report for work. Any negotiating leverage the Timberwolves may have had was undermined by his hardline stance. Which, in a nutshell means that the inevitable will happen no matter the moves Thibodeau and Layden make — or, to be more precise, don’t make — to delay it. Admittedly, they will get pennies to the dollar. Nonetheless, Taylor should rest easy knowing that good money won’t be thrown over bad; better to be rid of the disgruntled fast than having forked over nine figures first.
If there’s any black mark on the proceedings, it’s that the fans stand to lose anew. Few bases are as loyal as that of the Timberwolves, and it deserves better than to be jilted by one-and-done hired gun. Butler’s a rental that didn’t pay off, but only because he never quite warmed to his reunion with Thibodeau. No matter. One day, the resiliency will pay off, and hopefully in spades.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.
