It just continues to get stranger and stranger at Mayo Clinic Square with the Minnesota Timberwolves, although this particular update probably won't come as much of a surprise.
Sourcing an unnamed NBA executive with knowledge of the situation, the Sporting News just posted an article to their website with a quote that insinuates the idea that Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau would rather leave the Minnesota Timberwolves than trade Jimmy Butler to another team.
Here's the exact quote from the Sporting News article...
"No one expects Tom to coach a 25-win or even 35-win team," one front-office executive told Sporting News. "Even if he has to agree to dissolve the contract, they’d do that before they go and trade Butler for draft picks." - NBA Exec to SNs Sean Deveney
This isn't all that surprising since Butler is a Thibodeau guy through and through and Thibs a Butler guy.
There are however two sides to this sword and a large contingency of the fanbase wouldn't be all that shaken up if Thibs were to leave. Some wanted him gone already, others were only keeping him because of Butler. So with no Butler, Thibs' purpose is no longer necessary.
Still, with so many parties seemingly drawing a line in the sand right now, it's shaping up to set up for a new look Wolves team for better or for worse in 2018-2019.