Jimmy Butler makes commercial rumors: Trail Blazers among interested teams?

Jimmy Butler and the Minnesota Timberwolves are destined for a breakup.

Butler informed the Timberwolves of his desire to trade with the franchise, according to several reports released early last week. And although basketball operations chairman and head coach Tom Thibodeau, who coached Butler in Chicago, is reluctant to be part of the All-Star four times, team owner Glen Taylor demanded that an agreement will be reached in the coming days. Adrian Wojnarowski Sunday.

According to Wojnarowski, Timberwolves general manager Scott Layden has "stopped commercial investigations for Butler", but "Taylor demanded that Layden not only take calls on potential offers,

Butler, who will be a free agent after this season, would have listed the Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks among his favorite trade destinations and wants a five-year five-year maximum contract next summer, by Wojnarowski.

Until now, few franchises, if any, have engaged in serious conversations with the Timberwolves on Butler, sources said. But the list of organizations interested in further discussing with Minnesota is significant, said league sources: Brooklyn, Detroit, Houston, LA Clippers, Miami, Philadelphia, Portland and Sacramento are part of teams interested in business research.

Butler, 29, who came to the Chicago Bulls' Timberwolves in a draft exchange in 2017, averaged 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals in 59 games. last season. year of the playoffs drought.

Zach Lowe of ESPN analyzed Friday the Timberwolves' offerings for Butler, including a quick, if not scornful, thought about Portland's chances:

Some people pitched the Portland trade concept with CJ McCollum for Butler and the filler. It does not bother me, even if there is a chance close to zero, Butler would give assurance to stay in Portland. It works almost like Kawhi Leonard's trade in Toronto: If Butler turns, you exchange Damian Lillard and rebuild.

Portland's background suggests they would like to add Butler to the Lillard / McCollum duo for a single run, but no such deal seems to exist.

Media days for NBA teams are Monday, with training camps starting this week.