Report: Jimmy Butler Won’t Join T-Wolves for Media Day, Start of Training Camp

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Jimmy Butler was granted permission to skip Minnesota Timberwolves media day Monday after requesting a trade this week, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic added that Butler “will not be available for on-court activities” at the start of next week’s training camp.

Charania reported on Wednesday that Butler wanted out of Minnesota after meeting with team officials in Los Angeles on Tuesday. While that trade request came about a week before training camp opened, the four-time All-Star, per Charania, was hopeful that a deal could be struck before he had to report:

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Los Angeles Clippers, the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets are on the Timberwolves star’s preferred destinations list.

Since Butler’s trade request became public, there have been conflicting reports about his future. Wojnarowski reported early on Saturday that the Timberwolves had told teams around the league that they would not be trading the player they view as a franchise player only to later report that Minnesota owner Glen Taylor is open to moving the shooting guard.

It was not clear if Butler planned on showing up to media day or training camp if he was still with Minnesota.

All of this comes after Butler helped the Timberwolves end a 13-year playoff drought during his first season in the Twin Cities. He averaged 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game in 2017-18.

While both he and the team enjoyed modest success this past season, the relationship had issues. Per Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News, Taylor revealed earlier this summer that Butler turned down a four-year extension in the $110 million range. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported in July that Butler did not plan on signing an extension with Minnesota because of his discontent with his young teammates, including Karl-Anthony Towns.

Now, it appears as though Butler and the Timberwolves have a little more time to figure out how to move forward as the star will not be required to show up at the start of next week.