Why the Wolves say yes:
The Wolves say yes to this trade because they know a departure with Thibs is coming sooner rather than later. I feel as if he may be gone next season and that’s also around the same time Butler will be a free agent. Instead of letting him walk for almost nothing, the Wolves can send him away to the Trailblazers for a 3-point shooter and another first round pick.
C.J. McCollum is under contract for quite a while – four years in fact. Having that cushion and knowing he won’t leave unless he gets traded is a good thing. He’s also what the Wolves need right now. Granted he’s not good defensively and Minnesota struggles at that, but he brings scoring and shooting.
The Wolves were last in the league in 3-point attempts and made shots. This season he attempted 5.9 3’s and had a success rate of 39.7 percent. Not only that but he’s also only 26 years old.
Getting the 26th pick also means that the Wolves can have two first round picks. Two cheap contracts, two young players and two talented players. What’s not to like about this trade?
Why the Trail Blazers say yes:
The Trail Blazers say yes to this because lets face it, they need to switch things up. They have a good roster but something always seems to be missing in the playoffs. That was pretty obvious when they were swept by the New Orleans Pelicans.
Maybe having two guards that are scorers is the issue? Could it be the cap space? There could be a lot of reasons, but adding Butler would mean they’re getting a better player and one of the top players in the league.
The Blazers are a team that grinds and plays hard, it just seems like a perfect match to see him representing the city of Portland and hopefully getting the team back on track. Frankly, they just need a spark, and if Jimmy Butler is anything, he’s a lightning bolt to any roster.