Report: Miami Heat Pushing Timberwolves To Accept Jimmy Butler Trade
The Heat are pushing the Timberwolves to accept a revised deal for forward Jimmy Butler, reports ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski.
According to the report, the Timberwolves would prefer center Bam Adebayo, guard Josh Richardson and a protected 2019 first-round pick in exchange for Butler. The team also wanted to do some salary dumping, starting with $48 million left on center Gorgui Dieng's contract.
Butler has desired a trade since the beginning of the summer and has told the team he has no plans to re-sign with them in 2019. Some of the teams in which Butler has expressed interest are the Clippers, Nets and Knicks.
Along with the Heat, the Rockets have been active in their pursuit of the four-time All-Star.
The New York Times' Marc Stein reported that the Heat and the Timberwolves made "significant progress" on a deal, but Minnesota made changes to trade specifics and created a "breakdown” in talks.
Minnesota's regular season starts Oct. 17 against the San Antonio Spurs, and according to the ESPN report, head coach Tom Thibodeau is hoping Butler returns to practice to start preparing for the regular season.
Butler is slated to be a free agent next summer and will make $19.8 million this season.
Butler, 29, averaged 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists for Minnesota last year. He missed 21 games last season with a right knee injury.
Minnesota made the playoffs for the first time since the 2004 season, losing in five games to the Houston Rockets in the first round.
