The Jimmy Butler saga remains in a stalemate less than two weeks away from the start of the regular season.
Butler returned to Minnesota after being away from the Timberwolves throughout the preseason, only to reiterate his trade demand in another meeting with head coach and team president Tom Thibodeau, according to Jon Krawczynski and Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Nearly three weeks have passed since Butler first informed the Timberwolves of his desire for a trade, but no deal has been struck despite the team receiving more than 20 offers, according to Kevin O'Connor on "The Bill Simmons Podcast." The Miami Heat came close on a proposed framework last week, but their agreement reportedly fell apart as Minnesota's demands remained high for a player one year away from unrestricted free agency.
It was reported that Thibodeau hopes Butler will stay, even though Butler and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor both wanted a deal done before media day. Butler even sought out Taylor two weeks ago for reassurance that Thibodeau was operating in good faith with regards to fulfilling his trade demand.
The 29-year-old Butler averaged 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and two steals per game last season. He's owed $20.5 million for the upcoming campaign and can hit the open market next summer if he declines his $19.8-million player option.
