Best of
the Twin Cities
You know it’s been a tough year for Minnesota sports when a player being traded stands out as the one clear highlight. Jimmy Butler had clearly worn out his welcome with the Timberwolves, creating dissension among his teammates by demanding to be traded during the offseason, plus saying inflammatory things about the organization and his teammates. Adding to the frustration, this current Wolves team was building something promising, qualifying for the playoffs last season for the first time in 14 years. But Butler couldn’t handle the fact that this was clearly Karl-Anthony Towns’ squad, so he refused to work toward a resolution. After shipping Butler off to the Philadelphia 76ers in November, the Wolves fell back into their losing ways. But the trade (and subsequent firing of head coach/team president Tom Thibodeau) will hopefully be beneficial in the long run.