Umm, So what is so great about the T'Wolves right now???

[HurricaneDij39]

In spite of losing in five games to the Rockets in the first round, they were the biggest risers in CBS' NBA power rankings, moving up seven spots from the end of the regular season to the start of the offseason. Keep in mind that this is a team that needed overtime at home to secure the #8 seed from the Denver Nuggets, and the Nuggets didn't even have Millsap for over half the season.

Jim-ME Butler is a guy who typically gets the Kawhi Leonard treatment throughout the league for being a "perfect two-way NBA player", and like always I'm one to quickly point out the flaws to this sentiment.

Butler is a chemistry killer who in Chicago had consistently thrown his teammates and coaches under bus with the media as he so pleased. There's a reason those Bulls teams during his later years in the city has consistently underachieved with Butler as their "featured player"...I live near Chicago and was one of the very few unbiased opinions on the matter. As soon as this guy got paid, he almost literally valued himself as God's gift to the whole world.

Now report had surfaced that Minnesota's rightful franchise player, Karl-Anthony Towns, was not at a good place with the team's upper management. This does not surprise me in the slightest. Butler is Thibs' golden boy from his Chicago days, and the rightful franchise focal point in Minnesota has effectively been disenfranchised from his role.

The popular opinion around the NBA and the mainstream media is that the Wolves could one day grow to challenge the Warriors at the top of the western conference, but my overall observation is that Thibs and Butler will continue to put a cap on this team's overall upside. They did it in Chicago and will do so in Minnesota as well.

Take it from a basketball fan who lives in Chicago's suburbs.

Here was a blog post of mine from early 2017 while Wade and Butler were teammates on the Bulls: It's Time for Wade, Butler to Go

 

[CitySushi]

I haven't seen you create a thread without a flaming hot take about a player on said team, or without including one of your teams in there as a bench mark. That takes a lot of commitment.

 

[CitySushi]

In spite of losing in five games to the Rockets in the first round, they were the biggest risers in CBS' NBA power rankings, moving up seven spots from the end of the regular season to the start of the offseason. Keep in mind that this is a team that needed overtime at home to secure the #8 seed from the Denver Nuggets, and the Nuggets didn't even have Millsap for over half the season.

Jim-ME Butler is a guy who typically gets the Kawhi Leonard treatment throughout the league for being a "perfect two-way NBA player", and like always I'm one to quickly point out the flaws to this sentiment.

Butler is a chemistry killer who in Chicago had consistently thrown his teammates and coaches under bus with the media as he so pleased. There's a reason those Bulls teams during his later years in the city has consistently underachieved with Butler as their "featured player"...I live near Chicago and was one of the very few unbiased opinions on the matter. As soon as this guy got paid, he almost literally valued himself as God's gift to the whole world.

Now report had surfaced that Minnesota's rightful franchise player, Karl-Anthony Towns, was not at a good place with the team's upper management. This does not surprise me in the slightest. Butler is Thibs' golden boy from his Chicago days, and the rightful franchise focal point in Minnesota has effectively been disenfranchised from his role.

The popular opinion around the NBA and the mainstream media is that the Wolves could one day grow to challenge the Warriors at the top of the western conference, but my overall observation is that Thibs and Butler will continue to put a cap on this team's overall upside. They did it in Chicago and will do so in Minnesota as well.

Take it from a basketball fan who lives in Chicago's suburbs.

Here was a blog post of mine from early 2017 while Wade and Butler were teammates on the Bulls: It's Time for Wade, Butler to Go

Also LOL at you thinking Butler is the problem here. You didn't even mention their biggest negative: Andrew Wiggins. He's the chemistry killer on this team. Do your research.

 

[DJ Fieri]

 

[The Q]

Also LOL at you thinking Butler is the problem here. You didn't even mention their biggest negative: Andrew Wiggins. He's the chemistry killer on this team. Do your research.

Should’ve traded Wiggins and dieng for Paul George.

 

[tlance]

In spite of losing in five games to the Rockets in the first round, they were the biggest risers in CBS' NBA power rankings, moving up seven spots from the end of the regular season to the start of the offseason. Keep in mind that this is a team that needed overtime at home to secure the #8 seed from the Denver Nuggets, and the Nuggets didn't even have Millsap for over half the season.

Jim-ME Butler is a guy who typically gets the Kawhi Leonard treatment throughout the league for being a "perfect two-way NBA player", and like always I'm one to quickly point out the flaws to this sentiment.

Butler is a chemistry killer who in Chicago had consistently thrown his teammates and coaches under bus with the media as he so pleased. There's a reason those Bulls teams during his later years in the city has consistently underachieved with Butler as their "featured player"...I live near Chicago and was one of the very few unbiased opinions on the matter. As soon as this guy got paid, he almost literally valued himself as God's gift to the whole world.

Now report had surfaced that Minnesota's rightful franchise player, Karl-Anthony Towns, was not at a good place with the team's upper management. This does not surprise me in the slightest. Butler is Thibs' golden boy from his Chicago days, and the rightful franchise focal point in Minnesota has effectively been disenfranchised from his role.

The popular opinion around the NBA and the mainstream media is that the Wolves could one day grow to challenge the Warriors at the top of the western conference, but my overall observation is that Thibs and Butler will continue to put a cap on this team's overall upside. They did it in Chicago and will do so in Minnesota as well.

Take it from a basketball fan who lives in Chicago's suburbs.

Here was a blog post of mine from early 2017 while Wade and Butler were teammates on the Bulls: It's Time for Wade, Butler to Go

I don't think it is fair to blame Butler here.

First of all, he is a good player, not a great one. Much like Paul George actually. He is a valuable 2 way player and a quality piece, but, if he is your best player you are only going so far.

It is fair to blame Thibs because he has consistently run the offense through Butler when it really should go through Townes. It is also fair to blame Wiggins for his inconsistent effort and lack of development.

The bottom line is that the team underachieved relative to its talent level before Butler, they probably underachieved a little bit last year too. But, that was in large part because Butler missed like half the season. If Butler and Townes each play 75+, the Wolves should be among the top 5 in the West which firmly places them in the top 7 or 8 in the NBA.

 

[tducey]

They have a decent roster. Maybe not as good as Houston or Golden State but I can def see Minnesota flirt with the 2nd tier of teams in the West next season and be a team that could win a playoff round.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Should’ve traded Wiggins and dieng for Paul George.

Salaries don't match up. That's too much going to Indy/OKC.

 

[The Q]

Salaries don't match up. That's too much going to Indy/OKC.

i meant last year.

before the extension kicked in. Before he was traded to OKC. It was close enough that it could've worked.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Told you so...Jimmy Butler reportedly 'fed up' with young Wolves; has no intention of signing an extension

This one didn't last very long.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Also LOL at you thinking Butler is the problem here. You didn't even mention their biggest negative: Andrew Wiggins. He's the chemistry killer on this team. Do your research.

No, Jeff Teague was the chemistry killer. Clearly they'd be champs had they used Tyus Jones as the full-time starter.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Salaries don't match up. That's too much going to Indy/OKC.

that was pre-wiggins extension

 

[WiggyRuss]

Told you so...Jimmy Butler reportedly 'fed up' with young Wolves; has no intention of signing an extension

This one didn't last very long.

Butler and Kyrie are butt-buddies.

I could see both in Brooklyn.

 

[Heatles84]

Butler and Kyrie are butt-buddies.

I could see both in Brooklyn.

I think you could practically guarantee it at this point.

 

[GhostOfPoverty]

In all honesty, nothing. Sure, they were competing for about the #3 seed prior to the Butler injury, but the team is already falling apart just 1 season into the Butler teaming up with Towns/Wiggins experiment. Wiggins and Towns have both failed to develop to their full level of potential under Thibs, who has proven a terrible coach in the modern NBA who runs his starters into the ground (see Butler injury and all the injuries his style caused in Chicago). Bringing in Derrick Rose and giving him significant playing time in their brief playoff time was bad for the development of their young guys, too.

Now Butler is already vocal about how he won't resign with the team as is, and seemingly wants Towns out for sure. He also didn't seem to mesh very well with Wiggins. Clearly, the plan to have those three act as a "big three" together isn't working out the way they'd hoped. Probably two of those three key guys will end up leaving the team within the next year or two, putting them right back at square one in rebuilding mode. This team will always be bad, as the only star player they've ever had who actually wanted to be in Minnesota was Kevin Garnett, and even he got tired of the organization before bailing to win a title with Boston.

 

[Ojb81]

Jimmy Butler = legend in his own mind

 

[The Q]

In all honesty, nothing. Sure, they were competing for about the #3 seed prior to the Butler injury, but the team is already falling apart just 1 season into the Butler teaming up with Towns/Wiggins experiment. Wiggins and Towns have both failed to develop to their full level of potential under Thibs, who has proven a terrible coach in the modern NBA who runs his starters into the ground (see Butler injury and all the injuries his style caused in Chicago). Bringing in Derrick Rose and giving him significant playing time in their brief playoff time was bad for the development of their young guys, too.

Now Butler is already vocal about how he won't resign with the team as is, and seemingly wants Towns out for sure. He also didn't seem to mesh very well with Wiggins. Clearly, the plan to have those three act as a "big three" together isn't working out the way they'd hoped. Probably two of those three key guys will end up leaving the team within the next year or two, putting them right back at square one in rebuilding mode. This team will always be bad, as the only star player they've ever had who actually wanted to be in Minnesota was Kevin Garnett, and even he got tired of the organization before bailing to win a title with Boston.

Not trading Wiggins for PG13 is the domino in this imo.

But they clearly need someone to change the culture here.

 

[DJ Fieri]

I think you could practically guarantee it at this point.

The head to head Atlantic games would be interesting to watch.

 

[Mebert]

The best part of the Butler trade is not paying Lavine 20 million a year. Now when Butler opts out hopefully Teague follows suit.

The biggest issue is Wiggins and I see no solution for that though.

 

[Mebert]

Wiggins for Batum maybe? How many firsts do you have to give Charlotte.