Minnesota Timberwolves: If Butler wants to be in L.A., should the Wolves make a trade?

The regular season is approaching, and so are rumors that Jimmy Butler wants to be traded away from the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The latest rumor has Minnesota Timberwolves’ All-Star Jimmy Butler apparently with his sights set on Los Angeles as he looks to hook up with LeBron James and the Lakers.

If this is true (a big ‘if’, admittedly), should the Timberwolvse get a deal done before the season begins? And if that’s the case, who should the Wolves aim to get in return?

It’s been one heck of an offseason for Jimmy Butler and the Minnesota Timberwolves. After rumors of distaste with the Wolves’ work ethic, to the rejection of a contract extension, it now seems Butler may want out ASAP.

Eric Pincus reported the following in his Bleacher Report column over the weekend:

"Outside of [Kawhi] Leonard, [DeMarcus] Cousins and [Jimmy] Butler may be the most likely to switch teams. Per a source close to Butler, he’s open to the idea of moving on from the Timberwolves to play alongside James in Los Angeles."

Okay, but here’s the thing: who would not be open to moving to L.A. to play with LeBron James. But then this happened:

https://twitter.com/Coachjakesamuel/status/1033400567815532544

Followed by this response from Pincus:

With all the drama this offseason, it’s hard to know whether any of the rumors surrounding Butler have any credibility, but if they do, perhaps it’s best for the Wolves to part ways with him while they still have a chance to get something in return.

There’s no doubt Butler is a big difference maker for the Wolves, but with the possibility of him walking for nothing at the end of the season, there’s a chance for Tom Thibodeau and the rest of the front office to get a couple of pieces in return for the All-Star.

The Lakers may be Butler’s preferred destination, and the team has a number of young players full of potential that the Timberwolves may like to take into the fold.

Let’s not forget that last year’s team revolved around Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram with little help from veterans and still managed to get to 35 wins. Put Kuzma or Ingram on the court with Towns, Wiggins and Teague and all of a sudden a trade isn’t looking like the worst-case outcome.

In terms of salary, the Wolves would likely have to welcome Luol Deng to the fold, something Thibodeau is already reportedly open to, in order to make the numbers work. It’s also likely the Wolves may have to part with someone like Tyus Jones on a smaller salary in order to make the numbers work.

In return, the Wolves could expect a Luol Deng + Kyle Kuzma + a draft pick type of deal; whether that is worth it, or whether either side would agree, is unknown, of course.

For reference, Kuzma averaged 16.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in his rookie year last season, while Deng was only used on one occasion after a falling-out with Lakers staff.

While the Timberwolves would be losing their best player in Butler, it seems very likely he could walk at season’s end anyway, and such a trade would allow the Wolves to get their hands on Kuzma with a possible three years of his rookie contract left.

While Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram are other young players in similar situations, their contract amounts are a bit higher, and the Wolves would likely have to offer someone else to make the numbers work, which looking at the current contract situation would be a difficult road to navigate.

This offseason has been full of negative rumors for the Wolves, and the fans just want to see them out on the court. But with some time left before the season gets underway, it sure seems as though the offseason drama may not yet be over for Minnesota.