If four Houston first-round picks won’t do it, maybe a bunch of Jimmy Butler DNPs will.
The star Timberwolves shooting guard/small forward is concocting the next step of his plot to force himself into headlines and off the team, electing to sit Wednesday in a game against Utah, with no guarantee when he will play for Minnesota again, according to The Athletic.
The Timberwolves are terming his absence as “general soreness.”
It’s been six weeks since Butler demanded a trade, originally to the Knicks, Nets or Clippers, as rumors swirled about his frayed relationship with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. Minnesota entertained trade offers, and owner Glen Taylor wanted him traded in spite of coach Tom Thibodeau’s protestations. Eventually Butler showed up to practice, allegedly stole the show, and then season began and he was still on the team.
The struggling Rockets, who came a game and perhaps a Chris Paul injury short of the NBA Finals last season, have started terribly (1-5), and reportedly offered four first-round picks — the max allowed — in a trade for Butler last week. No movement yet.
Minnesota is 3-4 to start the season, with Butler averaging 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and three steals in those six games. We’ll see if he plays an eighth game.