The Minnesota Timberwolves stole the show on draft night by landing Jimmy Butler in a trade with the Chicago Bulls. The Timberwolves traded Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, and the #7 pick (Lauri Markkanen) for Jimmy Butler and the #16 pick (Justin Patton). Butler has already arrived in Minnesota and appears to be very excited to begin this new chapter of his career, reuniting with Tom Thibodeau.
Can't wait to get to work. #PowerOfThePack pic.twitter.com/nSY902FVnp— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) June 25, 2017
Butler joins a talented core in Minnesota that consists of Ricky Rubio, Andrew Wiggins, Gorgui Dieng, and Karl-Anthony Towns. The Timberwolves have been building a talented young group for the past few seasons, but they have lacked an established superstar that can take them to that next level. By trading for Butler, they appear to finally have such a superstar.
A lot of people are scratching their heads about what the Chicago Bulls were thinking to make this trade happen. Butler is coming off his best season in the league, averaging 23.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. He turns 28 next season and will be entering his seventh season in the NBA. He is just starting to enter his prime. To trade him away for a point guard coming off a torn ACL, a point guard who is looking like a bust, and a rookie looks to be very foolish.
In addition to being a superstar, what makes Jimmy Butler a great fit for the Timberwolves is how easily he slides into their lineup. He can play at the shooting guard position alongside Andrew Wiggins at small forward, creating a deadly one-two punch out on the wing. His presence doesn't affect the minutes of any of their core players, enhancing what they already have.
The Timberwolves have suddenly gone from a team that might make the playoffs in a couple of seasons to a team that could make the playoffs next year. They are no longer a team that you need to worry about in the future, they are a team that you need to worry about right now.
Also, with a team like the Utah Jazz potentially on the cusp of losing one of their biggest pieces to free agency (Gordon Hayward), we could see a significant shake up in the Western Conference. While I don't see the Timberwolves contending for a championship next season, I do see them approaching that territory. They've accelerated their rebuilding process by at least two and maybe even three years.
After an arduous rebuilding process and more than a decade of losing basketball, the Minnesota Timberwolves finally have a roster that the Twin Cities can get excited about. The talent is there, the experience is there, and the motivation is there. They just need to go out and get it done.
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