Minnesota Timberwolves Roundup: More on Butler-Towns, Luol Deng, and Tolliver

The Minnesota Timberwolves have almost made it through the offseason. Unfortunately, it seems as though there will be drama right up until the end.

It’s been a week or so since the last Jimmy Butler rumor/non-rumor, so of course we’re due for another one during the first week of September.

After some of the initial rumors that Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns don’t get along — fueled by the Chicago Sun Times so obviously taken with a grain of salt — were followed by the obligatory reading-into-everything from last season, plus recent Instagram likes/comments/non-comments that were placed under the microscope.

Then, there were the specific rumors related to Butler and pal Kyrie Irving, and whether they’d join forces with the Knicks or Nets next summer.

And now, we have Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press fueling more ambiguous rumors.

Whatever that means. Not good if true, of course, but it could mean practically anything.

Let’s just keep crossing our fingers that these guys can be adults and work through whatever differences there may be, and that Tom Thibodeau’s apparent gamble that things will work out pays off during the season.

In other Tom Thibodeau is Tom Thibodeau-ing around news, someone special is now a free agent.

Remember: the Wolves still have two roster spots remaining. Deng is the most prominent ex-Bull on the market, although the New York Knicks are surely trying to rid themselves of little-used and discontent Joakim Noah.

The Wolves don’t have the cap space to take back Noah in a salary dump, even if the Knicks were willing to attach draft picks to make it work. But if they reach a buyout and waive the former All-Star center, the Wolves would surely rocket to the top of the list to retain his services at the veteran’s minimum.

It surely seems inevitable that at least one of the two former Bulls stars will end up on the Wolves in the near future. While there are worse uses of the final two roster spots, it’s more that it reeks of misguided loyalty from Thibs. While Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson were obviously savvy additions and Aaron Brooks was a fine third point guard, this would be somewhat of a stretch.

We’ll keep an eye on this situation. The Wolves will surely fill at least one of those roster spots eventually, even if Thibs opts to leave the final spot open for flexibility’s sake.

Lastly, old/new friend Anthony Tolliver understands math, and it’s awesome.

https://twitter.com/ATolliver44/status/1036011741463891968

And … check out the replies…

Tolliver has obviously shifted his game to be even more 3-point heavy, and he was a favorite of Stan Van Gundy in Detroit, who is also a big fan of the long-ball.

It’ll be interesting to see just how many more threes the Wolves launch in 2018-19 after completing yet another season at the bottom of the league in 3-point attempts and makes. If that number budges, Tolliver will surely be a big part of that progress.