In an interview with GQ in 2018, Jimmy Butler expressed how he was disillusioned when the Timberwolves traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2018. This interview happened in December, a month after his arrival at the 76ers. Butler felt that the Wolves management had not hinted at such a possibility which led him to believe the opposite. Therefore, he felt a bit deceived by them. However, the 6x All-Star didn’t go into the details because he didn’t want to malign the image of people working in the organization. He also rooted for his former Timberwolves teammates to achieve further success.
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Cautiously treading the waters, the Heat two-way superstar didn’t disclose too much. “
“I don’t like talking about Minnesota, I really try to leave it in the past. Let’s just say: some things could’ve happened, that we both talked about, and at the end of the day, I felt like I was told one thing and something else happened.”
Then he mentioned that he wants nothing but the best things for his former teammates Andrew Wiggins, Karl Anthony-Towns, and Tyus Jones.
“I want Wigs, KAT, Tyus, be the best you could be. I don’t wish any ill will on nobody. Nobody. I pay attention to them. They’re playing extremely well right now. Good for them.”
The 2023 NBA East Conference Finals MVP was looking for a stable abode during the period. After spending his first six seasons with the Chicago Bulls, he was traded to the Timberwolves before the 2017-18 season. Butler played just 69 games for the Timberwolves before being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Butler completed the 2018-19 season with the 76ers and appeared in 55 games. But in the following off-season, he went to Miami via a sign-and-trade deal featuring four teams which turned out to be a great move for him. Since then, he has led the Miami Heat to two Finals appearances and has been the glue that makes the title contenders. Although his tenure with the Timberwolves was brief, he brought a veteran presence to a young team.
Jimmy Butler joined an inexperienced Timberwolves team
When he joined the squad, Andrew Wiggins was in his fourth season. Meanwhile, Tyus Jones and Karl Anthony-Towns were in their third seasons. Before his arrival, the team team had posted a 31-51 record. After getting him, the squad broke a 13-year playoff drought and secured a 47-35 record for the eighth spot in the Western Conference.
Butler had already registered 3x All-Star appearances before arriving at the Timberwolves. Pairing with another veteran and two-way guard Jeff Teague, he gave this team a new dimension. During a practice, Butler led a third-string unit to a win against the starters.
His incredible leadership brought the A-game out of the young core and there was a lot of personal success. KAT made his first All-Star appearance in his third season, as the league started to notice him more. Butler made his fourth All-Star appearance and his impact immediately led to wins. This set a wonderful precedent so despite his brief stint, the two-way phenom was able to reignite the Timberwolves in the post-Garnett era.
