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Minnesota Timberwolves: Playing the Butler’s advocate

By Pat Hall

NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 29: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jimmy Butler #23 react during the second half of a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on November 29, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 29: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jimmy Butler #23 react during the second half of a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on November 29, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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Minnesota Timberwolves, Derrick Rose
DALLAS, TX – OCTOBER 20: Derrick Rose #25 of the Minnesota Timberwolves. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

The Derrick Rose Resurgence

Let’s turn our eyes to the regular season so far.

Jimmy Butler once again leads the team in scoring with 21.3 points per game. He is third on the team in assists and rebounds and leads the team in steals. He is clearly playing the best overall basketball on the team this season, with his only competition for that title so far not coming from the two max-contract players, but from, you guessed it, Derrick Rose.

Rose is currently signed to a one-year veteran’s minimum deal worth $2.1 million. The 30-year old Rose is playing like his old MVP self, despite a career riddled with injuries and less-than-pleasant stop with other programs.

Towns and Wiggins have far more in their wallets right now than what Rose is getting paid this year. Shouldn’t they be the biggest challengers to Butler as the team MVP?

Wiggins has been especially underwhelming. Besides being fourth on the team in points per game, he is sixth on the team in assists, seventh in rebounds, and has an overall Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 14.1, less than Gorgui Dieng‘s and good enough for sixth on the team. Certainly not the stat line you would expect from a player you have signed for $150 million.

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