Photo by John G Mabanglo/EPA-EFE
Jimmy Butler has been angling to get out of Minnesota for a while now, and it seems he has progressed from the demanding-a-trade stage of the process to straight up chaos. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Jimmy Butler isn't going quietly into that good night, talking shit to his teammates, coaches, and even front office execs.Until today, Butler had not attended practice with the Wolves since requesting a trade three weeks ago. His appearance could have something to do with reports that trade talks with Miami broke down over the weekend, despite the fact that Woj reported earlier today that those talks aren't over. Nevertheless, Butler showed up for his first practice this season with a chip on his shoulder, going after individual players during drills and a scrimmage.At one point, Woj reports, Butler turned to the team's general manager Scott Layden and said, "You fucking need me. You can't win without me." There are a lot of ways to say I'm not here to make friends, but Butler seems to have found the most expedient one. Here's more from Woj:
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Coaches and players were largely speechless at Butler's tour de force throughout the workout, league sources said.
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Meanwhile, rumors are flying about some other shenanigans that Butler was up to during practice:Anthony Tolliver, who's been on nine teams in 10 seasons, said that he's never witnessed anything quite like the Butler situation during his time in the league, but he insisted that it's not a distraction for him.
Sure, beating the starters with the third string is impressive. But just imagine being the Heat right now. These kind of antics might work to get leverage to leave, but it's not building you much of a welcome wagon on the other end. Butler so frosty.