Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving could form the NBA's next superteam
It looks like Jimmy Butler may want in on the most dramatic offseason in NBA history.
With LeBron James on his way to the Lakers in the Western Conference, the East is, in theory, wide open. But the Celtics’ Kyrie Irving is looking to lock down the conference for years to come — and a new report suggests Butler may be looking to join him.
The Timberwolves star is “fed up” with his current teammates, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, and has been maneuvering to find a way to play with Irving, whether that be for the Celtics or another team in the East.
Boston could try to trade for Butler before the 2018-19 season begins, or the two players could team up next offseason when they hit free agency.
The Celtics have been thought to be involved in trade talks for Kawhi Leonard, who wants out from San Antonio. Butler could make for an intriguing alternative.
The Sun-Times report also adds a layer to the fountain of tension coming out of the Wolves’ locker room, with Butler’s frustration with his teammates’ “nonchalant attitude,” particularly Karl Anthony-Towns, starting to boil over.
When Butler was traded from the Bulls last summer, expectations skyrocketed for the Wolves, who already had former No. 1 draft picks Towns and Andrew Wiggins on their roster — as well as highly regarded coach Tom Thibodeau.
But while Minnesota did break a 14-year playoff drought this season, it was dispatched in the first round by the Rockets, and it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing off the court. As the season wound down and the Wolves gradually dropped from the third-seed to the eighth, players complained about Thibodeau’s heavy workload and rigorous coaching style.
In June, the Sporting News reported Butler took issue with Wiggins’ work ethic and subpar defense. Now, he’s reportedly not happy with the Wolves’ other young star.
Butler has stated he will not sign an extension with Minnesota this year (as Irving has also said about Boston), making it more enticing for Wolves management at least to explore the possibility of a trade. The Celtics, brimming with young players and assets, could be a potential partner.
This is not the first time Irving and Butler have apparently tried to play together. Last summer, before Irving was traded from the Cavaliers, he told several of his Team USA teammates that Butler’s then-Bulls were on his wish list. Bulls management, believing it didn’t have the assets to make a deal, opted instead to trigger a rebuild and trade Butler to Minnesota.