Jimmy Butler encouraged the fans to boo him, and the Minnesota crowd forced. But some seemed to quickly forget their anger

Butler, the unhappy striker who has been at the center of the turbulence since he demanded his trade with the Timberwolves, was booed with all his heart during introductions before the home opener. of Minnesota Friday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The huos came from almost every corner of the Target Center, with some applause.

In an interview earlier this week, Butler said that he anticipated a negative response from fans of Wolves but did not seem to worry about that. "Of course, go ahead, hue me," Butler told The Athletic. "It's not going to change the way I play, it'll make me smile more, so please, come with that."

The fans seemed happy to meet Butler's expectations.

In the second quarter, however, things were very different.

Butler sparked a roar among the crowd early in the second when he threw a lane of Tyus Jones in a quick pass. Shortly after, Butler headed to the free throw line and a "M-V-P!" singing broke.

Butler told the Wolves that he had no plans to sign with the team again next summer. After a hectic training session during which he harangued his teammates, Butler began the first day of the season on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs.

Butler has collected 23 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three assists in a 112-108 loss to San Antonio. He then stated that he was now focusing on the team's victory rather than on a potential exchange.

"If this (a job) comes to be, it will come, there is nothing I can do about it," Butler said. "But in the meantime, I have to find a way to help us win games."

Follow Matt Eppers on Twitter @meppers_.