Our Dunking With Wolves staff took a poll, and Jimmy Butler was voted to be the Minnesota Timberwolves MVP this season.
Let’s start with a simple definition: the meaning of ‘MVP’ does not necessarily mean the best stats, but instead who is the most valuable to one’s respective team.
Jimmy Butler may not have the best overall stats — Karl-Anthony Towns will put up big numbers this year, and even Andrew Wiggins is a threat to score the most points on the squad — but his value may be the highest.
There are a lot of things that he brings to the table, from veteran leadership, playoff experience, outstanding defense, and great offensive presence. Of course, there is a lot more that he can do then just those things, but to avoid rambling off a large list and inevitably missing something, let’s just cut to the chase: Butler does a lot for an organization. With that in mind, it’s not a surprise as to why he was voted by our staff to be the Wolves most valuable player.
There are two things Butler will provide that will separate him from some of the other good players on the team.
Leadership/helping the youth develop
There is a lot of growth that still needs to be done with some of the younger players remaining on the team. The Wolves understood that they will need veterans to help the young guns blossom, that is where Butler comes in.
Because he has made it to the playoffs multiple times, closed out important games, and has been to the All-Star game numerous times, Butler will be a great addition to the team. He should be able to show them the ropes in a different perspective than a coach might.
Think back to when the Wolves traded for Kevin Garnett back in 2015. He was such a valuable asset teaching then-rookie Karl-Anthony Towns. One might argue that without the Wolves acquiring Garnett, Towns may not be as good as he is today.
Butler should be able to teach some of the other players on the team. But, there is one player in particular that he should have the biggest affect on, and that’s Andrew Wiggins.
There is much riding on Wiggins this season as he signed a max contract earlier this week. We already know that he is gifted offensively, but there is a few things he can learn from Butler: better court vision and rebounding should get better with time and more strength, but his defense and aggression should grow with him being his mentor.
Butler should push Wiggins more and more simply because he is a demanding player on the court. But, it’s the defense that will grow overtime, because Butler is one of the best defenders in the NBA. He should be able to help Wiggins in that category. They will be able to play one-on-one in practice, and he can show him coach Thibs’ plays on and off the court.
Helping the younger guys on the team, especially Wiggins – should allow Minnesota to get even better this season.
Producing wins
Last season, Butler was third in the league in win shares. So, basically, if a team were to add that player, that is how many wins he would single-handedly give them.
According to Basketball Reference, he had 13.8 win shares. The only two players ahead of him was Rudy Gobert and James Harden. To put that in perspective, Butler had more win shares than MVP Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Kawhi Leonard.
Defense was a huge part of that final win shares total, and that is one clear advantage that Butler has over both Wiggins and Towns thus far in their respective careers. Butler has had a positive impact on the defensive end of the floor and the two young, incumbent Wolves have not. That, of course, goes a long way.
Next: Is a Jared Dudley trade possible for the Wolves?
Minnesota won 31 games last season, and that number should grow with the addition of Butler. The three-time All-Star should be a huge reason for the Wolves winning a lot more games and, ultimately, finding themselves in the playoffs.