Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 players most likely to be traded in 2018-19

1. Jimmy Butler

Monitoring Jimmy Butler’s state of mind and the trade/free agency reports surrounding him will likely dominate the conversation around this season’s Wolves. It’s probably painful for Wolves fans to admit that, but the rumor mill has already started churning.

In early July, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Butler and Kyrie Irving are angling to play together in the Eastern Conference. In the same report, Cowley also noted the Wolves discord, saying, “A league source said Butler … has been frustrated with the nonchalant attitudes of younger teammates — specifically Karl-Anthony Towns.”

Last week, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus reported Butler was “open” to the idea of playing with LeBron in Los Angeles.

To add to Wolves fans’ misery, a few days ago ESPN’s Nick Friedell, who covered the team for much of last season, said on The Jump, “I think Jimmy is probably going to be gone a year from right now.”

After turning down a four-year, $100 million extension offer from Minnesota this summer, Jimmy Butler doesn’t appear long for the Twin Cities, despite his close relationship with Tom Thibodeau and the fact that turning down such an extension was a financial no-brainer.

Having to trade another All-NBA player will surely sting for both fans and the franchise, but if Jimmy Butler hasn’t committed to staying by the trade deadline, the Minnesota Timberwolves will need to salvage something for him unless the team somehow looks like a title contender.