For all we know, Jimmy Butler could be traded by the end of Today, the owner has made it abundantly clear he wants deal finalized before training camp kicks off, much to coach Thibodeau's chagrin. One team that is in hot pursuit of Butler not among those we've already listed, is the Cleveland Cavaliers upstart project without LeBron.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Cavaliers' owner Dan Gilbert was talking Glen Taylor's ear off at the NBA Board of Governors meeting Friday. For those who don't know, Glen Taylor is the Minnesota Timberwolves owners that wants Jimmy Butler jettisoned out of town, it's nothing personal I suspect.
Wojnarowski is the same NBA insider that reported Jimmy Butler's three preferred trade destinations: the New York Knicks, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Los Angeles Clippers. For the record, all three of those teams remain in the hunt for his services, but Timberwolves are likely to make the transaction that works in their favor since Butler is entering 2019 on an expiring contract.
Since LeBron's departure this offseason, Dan Gilbert has reaffirmed his commitment to Kevin Love by awarding him a deal that pays him like a franchise cornerstone. There is an expectation that without LeBron, Kevin Love can return to being the 20/10 guy we knew in Minnesota. Cleveland has also resorted to handing the ball-handling duties to a rookie, the ever-intriguing Colin Sexton.