It probably won’t surprise you that the three players Jimmy Butler reportedly teamed up with to take on Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins in that infamous October 2018 practice are no longer with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was making a point, after all. “You fucking need me,” he yelled at then-GM Scott Layden. “You can’t win without me!”
Butler reportedly beat a team led by Minnesota’s two star players at the time, KAT and Wiggins, with Luol Deng, James Nunnally, and Jared Tyrell. Deng, 33, was in his last season and already had plenty of city miles on his legs after playing for Tom Thibodeau in Chicago for a decade. Nunnally, 28, had arrived from the Turkish league after playing most of his career overseas. Tyrell, 23, was a two-way player who is currently out of the league.
But Jimmy was making a point. He could beat Minnesota’s two incumbent stars with players from the third team. Deng, Nunnally, and Tyrell are no longer on the Wolves roster. They weren’t long for Minnesota anyway. Nor was Butler, who forced his way out with that practice. And Gersson Rosas would eventually swap the apathetic Wiggins for D’Angelo Russell to pair Towns with a close friend.
However, the overall level of turnover in Minnesota may surprise you. Every NBA team cycles through talent, but the Wolves franchise has had a revolving door in their 31-year existence. Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic broke down the numbers in September 2020:
- 245 players have worn a Wolves uniform.
- 128 have been in Minnesota for only one season.
- 44 have played here for two years.
- 35 have played for three.
- And only 14 have played for at least four.
Of Minnesota’s current players, only Towns and Josh Okogie witnessed that infamous practice. And think of all that has happened since Krawczynski wrote that article. Ownership fired Rosas for running a dysfunctional organization. The Wolves drafted Anthony Edwards first overall and laundered Ricky Rubio. The league suspended Malik Beasley and he served time in jail in the offseason.
But now the Wolves have something going.
KAT, DLo, and Ant are their big three. Patrick Beverley has helped cultivate a winning culture. Jarred Vanderbilt hustles and Beasley (usually) spaces the floor. Jaden McDaniels, Jaylen Nowell, and Taurean Prince provide quality depth.
“One of the biggest moments in our season was, 10-plus games in, having a team meeting and just clarifying what everyone’s role is so everyone knows what their role is,” said Towns, “you’re our shooter, you’re our defender, you’re our energy guy.”
After the tense Butler era, and years of malaise, this year’s Wolves are gelling. Russell is shouting defensive instructions to the younger players from the bench. Nathan Knight and McKinley Wright lose their mind any time one of their teammates swings the momentum in a game. Beverley makes sure they stay engaged.
“We all genuinely like each other,” said Nowell. “And we’re really close. We like to see each other succeed. That right there is one of the hardest things to find in teams.”
He doesn’t need to tell anyone around here that. Butler and Towns were never going to see things the same way. That team was good enough to be the 3-seed in the West at one point and was dismantled a year later. Chemistry, not talent, sank them.
Unfortunately, the trade deadline presents an imminent threat to this year’s team. The Wolves could use a rim protector, and front offices are always inclined to find a way to improve the roster. Add this player, and all of a sudden you’re locked into a top-6 seed a get a playoff series. Miss out on him, and you’re the play-in tournament.
But Sachin Gupta has to fight that urge. The Wolves have a good thing going. Chris Finch is a patient coach who is willing to ride with the best player on any given night, not the one with the largest salary. Minnesota’s stars are willing to cede the floor if they’re having an off night. And this probably isn’t the year for a blockbuster trade anyways.
If this group can earn a top-six seed and holds their own in the playoffs, the front office is less likely to change things up. Gupta is also more likely to keep his job, as is Finch. KAT, DLo, and Ant will remain their big three, and changes will be made around the fringes of the roster. It will be tinkering rather than overhauling.
“It doesn’t have to be me every night,” Towns said after his slow start against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. “That’s why we have great talents like D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards. You’ve got to be able to lean on them. They can carry the load just as well as myself.”
His message couldn’t have been any more different than Butler’s. And it makes all the difference in the world for the Timberwolves.
