5 goals for Jimmy Butler and the Timberwolves

Jimmy Butler split opinion in his tenure in Chicago. What can he do in Minnesota to help the Timberwolves make the playoffs?

How times change. In 2014 Jimmy Butler, told Chicago ESPN that he is “not a star” and that he is a “good role player on a really, really good team”. Fast forward to 2017, and Butler is a consensus top-15 player in the NBA.

Once the dust of the NBA off-season settles, Jimmy Butler and his new Minnesota Timberwolves will go back to work in an effort to break the biggest playoff drought in the NBA. The Timberwolves showed improvements as last season progressed, and with a big summer of signings, the Wolves will be even better next season.

Butler is going to be one of the deciding factors into the sides’ successes. We look at the five main goals that the Timberwolves’ Jimmy Butler will have to reach in order for the 2017-18 season to live up to the hopes and dreams of Wolves’ fans across the world.

Be quick off the blocks

The West is stacked like the proverbial brick outhouse. Almost every team in the West can make a run at being one of the top-sixteen quads in the NBA. However, the top seeds of the conference still look as good as settled. Therefore, the competition for the last few playoff spots will be vicious. The Timberwolves will have to make a good start or else they could easily find themselves on the outside looking in.

Whilst Jimmy Butler is an old ally to Timberwolves’ coach Tom Thibedeau and another new recruit in Taj Gibson, there will be no room for teething problems with Butler and the young Wolves. Say what you will about the Wolves’ free agent signings, but Tom Thibodeau has recruited players to play his style of basketball. Jimmy Butler will have a lot on his plate on offense and defense throughout the season.

If Butler clicks with his teammates and adjusts to Thibodeau’s game plan like riding a bicycle, then the Wolves could easily see themselves as a potential five seed in the playoffs.

Mentor Andrew Wiggins

When Tom Thibedeau signed on as head coach of the Timberwolves, many fans were overjoyed at what that may mean from the ultra-talented Andrew Wiggins. Since coming into the league as a consensus number one pick, Wiggins has been a talented scorer for the Wolves. However, he is not the complete player he was seen to be as a prospect.

Andrew Wiggins can still become an elite NBA player. Wiggins already has all the physical tools and a polished offensive game; Butler needs to mentor Wiggins in order to bring the absolute best out of him on both ends of the floor. If Wiggins can learn from Butler, especially on the defensive side of the ball, then his ceiling becomes massive. Wiggins has the tools, and on occasion, has shown what he can do.

Jimmy Butler is one of the best two-way wings in the NBA. He was elite in defensive win shares for wings and was top-five in the league for value over replacement player. There is no better player for Wiggins to learn from. In short, Jimmy Butler is a better version of Andrew Wiggins. If Butler can mentor Wiggins, and in turn, Wiggins take it on, then the Wolves’ wings will wreak havoc.

Learn to not be ‘the guy’

First and foremost, Jimmy Butler is an Alpha. He is strong willed and has the belief to improve himself as a player beyond anybody’s most elaborate expectations. Butler was the ‘guy’ on the Bulls and the team revolved around his game.

However, the long-term plan for the Timberwolves is to build around Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns is the Timberwolves present just as much as he is their future. For the Minnesota Timberwolves to develop into a truly great team, Towns needs reps at the end of games. He needs reps at taking the last shot. He needs reps and winning and losing games.

This is not to say that Butler won’t get a chance. He will just need to be the Omega to Towns’ Alpha on occasion. Personally, I believe Jimmy Butler will buy into this, and he is saying all the right things, as he told the Chicago Suntimes earlier this offseason.

"Jimmy Butler: “It doesn’t mean a damn thing,” the three-time All-Star told the Sun-Times in a phone interview from Paris on Friday. “I guess being called the face of an organization isn’t as good as I thought. We all see where being the so-called face of the Chicago Bulls got me. So let me be just a player for the Timberwolves, man. That’s all I want to do. I just want to be winning games. Do what I can for my respective organization and let them realize what I’m trying to do. “Whatever they want to call me … face … I don’t even want to get into that anymore. Whose team is it? All that means nothing. You know what I’ve learned? Face of the team, eventually you’re going to see the back of his head as he’s leaving town, so no thanks.”"

“A bad lockerroom guy”

Whether you consider it analysts trying to fill a twenty-four-hour news cycle or smoke to a fire, you cannot deny that Jimmy Butler’s locker room presence has been questioned recently.

On ESPN’s The Jump, Bulls great, Scottie Pippen had the following to say about Jimmy Butler.

"Pippen: “In Chicago, he didn’t handle it very well and I think it really turned the organization—” Why do you think he didn’t handle it very well? Pippen: “I don’t think he handled it right from a leadership standpoint of what it takes to be a superstar.” What are the specifics that people are staying he wasn’t good in the locker room? Pippen: “Well, it’s just a lot of locker room talk that Jimmy was disrespecting the head coach, disrespecting the assistant coach. Just wasn’t showing the type of leadership that you’d expect from your best player.”"

Pippen was not the only ex-NBA star who mentioned Butler’s locker room presence. Antonie Walker was recently quoted on ESPN about Jimmy Butler.

"Antonie Walker: He’s just a bad locker room guy. A lot of outbursts took place throughout the season, with the coaches, with the players. “You try to build something, especially in Chicago, and he’s going to be your best player, he has to be a leader on and off the court. “And and did a poor example of that. I think that’s why the Bulls kind of parted ways with him.”"

In a young locker room, Jimmy Butler will have to be a positive presence. Something that former coach, Tom Thibedeau will look to bring back out in Butler.

Lead the way on Defense

Jimmy Butler’s defensive game has been known about for some time. He can guard any guard or wing in the NBA. In a league where all the truly great players are on the wing, having a lock-down like Jimmy Butler helps the Timberwolves’ poorly performing defense.

Just look at a sample of what Butler brings to the table. Just look at it!

Jimmy Butler is equally efficient at defending the three-pointer. Opponents shot only 30% when being guarded by Butler. All in all, Butler defended over ten shots a game in the regular season and is one of the best.

Next: Pros and Cons of Jamal Crawford on the Timberwolves

Whilst Wiggins has the potential, and will improve, guarding the J.R. Smith instead of LeBron James will be the Timberwolves wonders.