With days remaining before the official start of the 2018-19 NBA season, Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor decided to meet with disgruntled superstar Jimmy Butler where both parties reportedly reached an agreement, according to Jon Krawczynski of the Athletic . While the Timberwolves continue to find him a new home, Taylor wants Butler to rejoin the team, be a good teammate, and continue playing as he usually does.
Bobby Marks of ESPN believes that the Timberwolves will be receiving more appealing offers during the 2018-19 NBA season, especially from those NBA teams who think they are only a Jimmy Butler away from winning the NBA championship title. According to Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report , the Toronto Raptors are one of the potential landing spots for Butler before the February NBA trade deadline.
After trading DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors emerged as one of the top favorites to fully dominate the LeBron James-less Eastern Conference next season. However, even if Leonard remains healthy throughout the season, it is still a huge question if the Raptors have a real chance of beating the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors in a best-of-seven series. To strengthen their chance of bringing home their first Larry O’Brien Trophy, the Raptors might need more star power on their roster.
“Despite finishing last season with an East-best 59 wins and then trading for Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors still seem hard-pressed to push past the loaded Boston Celtics this season. That is, unless they go all-in for Butler. A wing rotation of Kyle Lowry, Butler and Leonard may be the best outside of Golden State and puts them head-to-head with Boston and likely above the Philadelphia 76ers. Good luck to all opposing shooting guards and small forwards attempting to score against the Butler-Leonard duo.”
Glen Taylor made a 90-minute drive to the Cities for a rare Wolves practice. He met Jimmy Butler and they reached an understanding as Butler prepares to play https://t.co/8Dj3lyWjLu
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) October 14, 2018
In the proposed trade deal from Bleacher Report , the Raptors will be sending OG Anunoby, Danny Green, and Norman Powell to the Timberwolves for Jimmy Butler. The deal works on ESPN ‘s NBA Trade Machine. If the trade becomes a reality, it could help both teams in addressing the areas they need to improve on their roster.
Instead of losing Butler in the 2019 NBA free agency without getting anything in return, the suggested trade will have Minnesota acquiring quality players that can help them remain competitive in the upcoming 2018-19 NBA season. OG Anunoby could replace Butler in the wing, while Danny Green could be a reliable contributor off the bench.
Raptors fans will surely love the idea of having both Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard on their team. Butler and Leonard are considered as two of the best two-way players in the NBA. Their tandem has the potential to be a huge headache to any powerhouse team they will be facing next season.
