Jimmy Butler 'Couldn't Be Happier' With Trade To Wolves

[RealGM Wiretap]

Jimmy Butler spoke about his growth as a player during a lengthy profile piece for Vice by Michael Pina.

Butler was traded by the Chicago Bulls to the Minnesota Timberwolves, which appears to be a decision motivated by how the team reacted to his emergence as a franchise player.

"I think they maybe expected me to stay the same, and I don't think that that's right. Like, I have changed. I will tell you that. But I think that I've changed for the better," Butler said. "When I say for the better, whenever I was a rookie, averaging 0.8 points per game or whatever it might be, it wouldn't matter if I scored that 0.8 because it wasn't going to win or lose us a game. Now, you go forward a couple years when I'm averaging 20 points per game, that's more than likely gonna cost us a game. It's gonna be the difference between winning or losing. Am I right? So now I don't give a damn about pressure, but if someone's going to take the blame for something, who they gonna point to? Me. So yeah, I've changed, because I want to (expletive) win. I want to show that I can win. So the way I go about things, it's not gonna be the way I went about things when I was a rookie, [when] I'm not gonna say anything. Now I've got something to (expletive) say."

Butler is reuniting with Tom Thibodeau after two seasons playing for Fred Hoiberg. 

"I'm confrontational. I feed off of confrontation. It makes me go. Not everybody's like that. [Hoiberg] is not that coach, and there's nothing wrong with that. There are different coaching styles and people are gonna say—which is what they did say—'It's gonna be Jimmy's team or it's gonna be Fred's team.' Two total opposite ends of the spectrum. They're either gonna try to win it now or they're gonna go young. And you see which way they went with it. Completely fine. Yo, it's y'all's business. It's y'all's organization. It's cool. And now I'm in Minnesota and couldn't be happier."

Via Michael Pina/Vice

[mplsfonz23]

Concerns me that he feeds off of confrontation. Doesn't seem like him and Wiggins will fit.

[RedBulls23]

Concerns me that he feeds off of confrontation. Doesn't seem like him and Wiggins will fit.

Maybe he can lite a fire under Wiggins ass. Seems the story with Wiggins from Wolves fans is he could show more aggression and maybe not be timid.

[mplsfonz23]

Concerns me that he feeds off of confrontation. Doesn't seem like him and Wiggins will fit.

Maybe he can lite a fire under Wiggins ass. Seems the story with Wiggins from Wolves fans is he could show more aggression and maybe not be timid.

We are hoping for that to be the case. Lets just hope it doesn't have Wigs shut down instead.

[Stratmaster]

OK. He basically admitted he turned into an egomaniac who wanted to run the team and that he loves kicking upchaos for the team he is on.

I admire someone who can admit to their deficiencies. I worry about someone who admits them and thinks they are strengths.

[Stratmaster]

Concerns me that he feeds off of confrontation. Doesn't seem like him and Wiggins will fit.

Maybe he can lite a fire under Wiggins ass. Seems the story with Wiggins from Wolves fans is he could show more aggression and maybe not be timid.

It will either that or it will push Wiggins into the background and cause resentment and a rift. Which way did it work with the Bulls?

[Habs72]

"I feed off of confrontation", spoken like a true leader ...piss level has risen.

[lonea]

Butler is a straight up G. You can tell by the way he presents himself. Still got that hood attitude.

[ChokeFasncists]

OK. He basically admitted he turned into an egomaniac who wanted to run the team and that he loves kicking upchaos for the team he is on.

I admire someone who can admit to their deficiencies. I worry about someone who admits them and thinks they are strengths.

Does he tweet alot?

[RedBulls23]

Concerns me that he feeds off of confrontation. Doesn't seem like him and Wiggins will fit.

Maybe he can lite a fire under Wiggins ass. Seems the story with Wiggins from Wolves fans is he could show more aggression and maybe not be timid.

It will either that or it will push Wiggins into the background and cause resentment and a rift. Which way did it work with the Bulls?

Sure, if Wiggins is soft, then that's what will happen.

That will happen to him with Thibs coaching too. I don't think Wiggins is soft though, so I don't expect it to be an issue.

[RedBulls23]

Does he tweet alot?

Nope. He doesn't do social media that much.

[Stratmaster]

OK. He basically admitted he turned into an egomaniac who wanted to run the team and that he loves kicking upchaos for the team he is on.

I admire someone who can admit to their deficiencies. I worry about someone who admits them and thinks they are strengths.

Does he tweet alot?

I see what you did there; and, i approve this message.

[totalrekall]

this is why the Celtics passsed and Bulls couldnt get equal value for him. I dont think any player who is difficult and divisive to his own team is worth everyone else's time. players like this dont have to deal w/ their own dysfunction but everyone around them does. its not fair to his teammates and coaches. its babysitting

[Dr Huge Pecs]

OK. He basically admitted he turned into an egomaniac who wanted to run the team and that he loves kicking upchaos for the team he is on.

I admire someone who can admit to their deficiencies. I worry about someone who admits them and thinks they are strengths.

Does he tweet alot?

Funny... As to the above comment. Youre injecting you perception into the situation. "Kicking up chaos... Run the team...egomaniac" he said none of that. That is your perception, but he didnt admit to that.

My perception is that he was under pressure (from himself) to be a leader and to win. Maybe he did it one way and the Bulls didn't support him. I fully support and identifiy with the win by any means approach in basketball. More guys should have that mentality.

....and tweets are weak.

He sounds excited about Minnesota and he should. They will be a nightmare for everyone AND he sounds happy to be off the bulls, a team thst just publicly threw one of its own players under the bus last week for no apparent reason.

Something tells me the issues in chicago go much deeper than butler... he might not have been an issue at all.

Whatever the case, Minnesota will be eating their lunch when they meet this year...

[Dr Huge Pecs]

this is why the Celtics passsed and Bulls couldnt get equal value for him. I dont think any player who is difficult and divisive to his own team is worth everyone else's time. players like this dont have to deal w/ their own dysfunction but everyone around them does. its not fair to his teammates and coaches. its babysitting

I think they wanted Hayward, who is younger and just entering his prime and didnt have to trade for him.... That makes incredible sense. If they traded for Butler, probably no Irving.

Now they still have picks and a younger equally talented star at the same position for more years... And a better point guard.

That's just basic logic.

[Stratmaster]

OK. He basically admitted he turned into an egomaniac who wanted to run the team and that he loves kicking upchaos for the team he is on.

I admire someone who can admit to their deficiencies. I worry about someone who admits them and thinks they are strengths.

Does he tweet alot?

Funny... As to the above comment. Youre injecting you perception into the situation. "Kicking up chaos... Run the team...egomaniac" he said none of that. That is your perception, but he didnt admit to that.

My perception is that he was under pressure (from himself) to be a leader and to win. Maybe he did it one way and the Bulls didn't support him. I fully support and identifiy with the win by any means approach in basketball. More guys should have that mentality.

....and tweets are weak.

He sounds excited about Minnesota and he should. They will be a nightmare for everyone AND he sounds happy to be off the bulls, a team thst just publicly threw one of its own players under the bus last week for no apparent reason.

Something tells me the issues in chicago go much deeper than butler... he might not have been an issue at all.

Whatever the case, Minnesota will be eating their lunch when they meet this year...

He sounds more bitter about Chicago than he does excited about being in Minnesota.

[Habs72]

bulls, a team thst just publicly threw one of its own players under the bus last week for no apparent reason.

Something tells me the issues in chicago go much deeper than butler... he might not have been an issue at all.

IF that "leak" is even true you really think it was a team that did that?? I smell it was one of departing players and who else than Butler has the most motivation to do that? Prior to that "leak" he gave the very same reporter an interview and suddenly some days later that reporter gives out the "leak". I smell some shady business...in the end Payne is a **** player, ill give you that .

[Donnyxc]

this is why the Celtics passsed and Bulls couldnt get equal value for him. I dont think any player who is difficult and divisive to his own team is worth everyone else's time. players like this dont have to deal w/ their own dysfunction but everyone around them does. its not fair to his teammates and coaches. its babysitting

I don't know man. I kind of love this attitude, seems like a little bit of Rajon Rondo rubbing off on him. I think everyone needs a guy in the locker room who is the a$$hole. Lights a fire. Confrontational on the court with other players, you want that guy on your team. This is great for the Timberwolves, and I agree with the guy earlier who said Wiggins will benefit.

[donaldtrump_00]

jimmy butler isn't the issue. the bulls just have a bad front office. derrick rose wasn't the issue. there real concern is when they had a championship level team they never went out and got that final piece to secure a finals spot. too too cheap. scared to go into the tax for the long run. sure they would go over the tax but look how quickly they got themselves right back out of it.

they knew rose wasn't the mvp player and used it against him rather then get him a back up point guard who could make him pick his spots till he got it all figured out. butler and rose where fine together. just had no chemistry. that could be fixed over the summer. and the other issue with the team was they where just plain out injury prone. noah cost them the most. when he lost a step or 2 due to that knee injury they were just a average team.

nobody there to really make much of a huge difference to back him up. sure pau was great for his time in chi but didn't quite help on defense outside of blocking shots. taj Gibson also injury prone, fighting off ankle injury for like 3 years. lost a step. everything I'm mentioning could have been fixed with time and patience and adding the right player next to them. but its going to put you deep into the tax and chi was unwilling to take that approach. instead gave everyone away and made it even worse. that's all front office problems I don't care what nobody says