In case you missed it, All-NBA guard Jimmy Butler has requested a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The Wolves gave up a very promising package of Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen to get Butler on draft night 2017. LaVine is a 20 point-per-game guy, Dunn was an MIP candidate, and Markkanen surprised just about everyone, putting up really solid numbers in his rookie season. The Wolves get a big push from Butler in the 2017 season and make the playoffs, but in the end, it was all for naught.
Butler gave out a shortlist of teams he would like to go to, including the Brookyn Nets, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Clippers. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that Butler would be “most determined” to go to the Clippers to co-star with another superstar.
Wolves fans aren’t exactly pleased with this, but Minnesota will want the best return possible when it happens. Here are a few scenarios that make sense for Minnesota to give up an All-NBA player.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are a team that could sneak into a playoff spot this season, especially if they can get Butler, but here’s a trade that makes sense, and works within the cap.
Timberwolves Receive: D’Angelo Russell, Allen Crabbe, BKN 2019 first round lottery protected pick
Nets Receive: Jimmy Butler
This trade would be interesting for two reasons. Minnesota gets D’Angelo Russell, who still has huge potential alongside Towns and Wiggins. He has good vision, always looks calm, and can create space and pull it from anywhere. Also coming to Minnesota is Allen Crabbe, for shooting. Plain and simple. Minnesota was awful from beyond the arc last season, and Crabbe shot 37% from three last season.
With this team, you have Teague at the one, Russell at the two, (either of them handling the ball) Wiggins at the three, then you have the post control with Taj Gibson and Karl Anthony-Towns. I think now with some young guys, and even DEPTH on the Wolves roster. My man Tyus Jones comes in for Jeff Teague and you have the 20th pick in the 2018 draft, Josh Okogie, or Allen Crabbe come in for Russell, Kieta Bates-Diop or Luol Deng coming in for Wiggins, and Gibson and Towns are reliable bigs that can play heavy minutes. Though he is dealing with foot issues, Justin Patton is waiting in the wings, ready to maximize his potential on defense and on the boards. Also, Anthony Tolliver is a solid veteran addition off the bench.
From this trade, the Wolves would win around 38 games. You could scrap with some of the big dogs, but in the end, it’s a middle of the pack team, nothing special. Especially with Tom Thibodeau at the helm.
On the Nets side of things, you get Jimmy Butler. He’s a crafty offensive player and can hit from all three levels on the court. He plays defense, he plays way too hard for his own good. He’s even said he has to adjust himself because he works harder than anyone he’s ever met.
He brought the Wolves to the playoffs in his only season with the team, and with a lineup of Butler, rising star Spencer Dinwiddie, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, ex-Blazer Ed Davis, and second year center Jarrett Allen. Then, you have depth off the bench to help the shooting void. Players like Caris LeVert, Shabazz Napier, and Jared Dudley. This team could win about 43 games and sneak into the playoffs. If you put a bunch of athletes and shooters around Jimmy Butler, you can’t go wrong. There’s no struggle for power– Butler is easily the best player on Kenny Atkinson’s team.
Los Angeles Clippers
With the Clippers, you need to understand the fact that someone will sign there to play with him for 2019-2020. So playing the pick game isn’t going to work for long.
Timberwolves Receive: Tobias Harris, Jerome Robinson, 2019 & 2020 unprotected first round picks
Clippers Receive: Jimmy Butler, 2019 second round pick
For the Wolves, this is the best you’re getting out of the Clippers. They no longer have a Blake Griffin or DeAndre Jordan. Despite that, Tobias Harris is criminally underrated. He can shoot, score inside, and play solid defense all the time. Jerome Robinson has potential to be a really solid scorer for his career. He has natural athletic ability and was born to get buckets. Harris could slide in as a perfect small forward for this team. The lineup would pit Teague and Wiggins in the backcourt, and Tobias Harris, Taj Gibson and Karl Anthony-Towns in the frontcourt. Tyus Jones, Josh Okogie, Robinson, Kieta Bates-Diop, and Anthony Tolliver/Justin Patton would round out the bench.
With this lineup, this team could win around 42 games. It’s a possible playoff team, but in the west, you never know.
The Clippers need to compete in the trade and free agency markets because they just let go of their two remaining players from their playoff runs (Griffin to Detroit, Jordan to Dallas). They need to trade for or sign star talent, especially when they want to play for you.
By getting Jimmy Butler this year, they can allow the lottery pick they still have, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, to grow and learn from a similar player in Butler. They give up draft capital, but their roster is well set if they have heavy talent at the top. This is an average roster, but if you add Butler and say Kawhi Leonard next off-season. That would be a contender in the west in my eyes.
Rolling out a lineup of Butler, Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, and recent trade acquisition Marcin Gortat in the center slot. It’s a solid team, you have your gunners in Butler and Williams, they could play very solid defense, and then they just need to add a little bit of depth, and they could be serious players in the western conference.
They’d win around 35 games just this year, but if they add Kawhi, they would make a significant jump the season after.
New York Knicks
This situation is very interesting. Lots of speculation already having to do with Boston Celtics All-Star guard, Kyrie Irving, joining forces with the Knicks. But, it’s also interesting in the lens of return for the Timberwolves.
Timberwolves Receive: Kevin Knox, Tim Hardaway Jr., and 2019 unprotected first round pick
Knicks Receive: Jimmy Butler
This trade for Minnesota is a near perfect return for what they need. Talented, young wing players. I get it, the Wolves get Timmy Jr.’s contract, but he’s a very solid guard. He’s a perfect fit with this team. Young athlete, and he can hit the three with some consistency. Not the best defensive player, but he at least gives some effort. Slides in nicely at the two, and he provides a spark.
The Wolves would send out Teague, Hardaway Jr., Wiggins, Gibson and Towns. Then you bring out Jones, Okogie, Knox, Bates-Diop, and Patton/Tolliver, which is a really young, reserve lineup with some athletic ability. If you can get that unit to work together and move the ball, it’s a playoff team. Three point shooting would be better, with less stress and frustration.
As far as wins go, let’s pin things at around 45. It’s a playoff potential team for sure.
For the Knicks, Butler adds talent. They need it, badly. Butler makes them a playoff team in the east. If Kristaps Porzingis is healthy, they could do damage in the playoffs. They lose a pick, but gain Kyrie Irving potential in the 2019 offseason. That’s invaluable to get two superstars. Regardless, the Knicks would still struggle against the top teams out east.
There isn’t much depth behind Butler, Porzingis, Frank Ntilikina, Courtney Lee and Enes Kanter. Though that starting lineup has some potential to be a solid unit, you then have Trey Burke, Ron Baker, Mario Hezonja, Lance Thomas, Isaiah Hicks and Kyle O’Quinn. This just isn’t an impressive second lineup.
The real excitement for them is the concept of Kyrie Irving joining the team. As mentioned earlier, having three top-20 NBA players is priceless. An Irving, Butler and Porzingis trio is deadly, and could make some serious playoff runs.
For the 2018 season, this lineup might get them 40 wins. Adding Butler will increase their chances being just one-third of the potential deadly trio. He’s instantly the third best player in the east to me.
