Butler Ready To Start NBA Season With Wolves? Guard Holds Players-Only Meeting

The Jimmy Butler–Minnesota Timberwolves saga continues to rumble on after the shooting guard has made his first appearance at a practice session since training camp began in September. And it was an explosive first session on Wednesday with the player said to have confronted his teammates, coach and front-office executives.

The training session was Butler’s first since requesting a trade three weeks back, and he did not hold back, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The report claims he took aim at teammates including Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, while also confronting coach Tom Thibodeau and general manager Scott Layden.

It is being reported that at one point during the practice he yelled out to Layden saying: “You f---ing need me, Scott. You can't win without me." And later during an interview, Butler did not deny the reports regarding the heated practice session.

"A lot of it is true," Butler told ESPN. "I haven't played basketball in so long. I'm so passionate. I don't do it for any reason but to compete. All my emotion came out in one time. Was it the right way? No! But I can't control that when I'm out there competing. That's raw me, me at my finest, me at my purest. Inside the lines."

The Wolves guard remains frustrated after Minnesota played hardball with Miami Heat — his preferred destination after requesting a trade — that saw talks break down between the two franchises. Miami remain interested but Wolves’ demands are said to be putting off interested teams.

Despite returning to practice Wednesday, Butler made it clear during his interview that his relationship with his current employers is not fixed and he does not seem to believe that it can be at this point in time.

"It's not fixed. Let's be honest,” the Wolves shooting guard added. "It could be. Do I think so? No,” Butler said when asked if the relationship could be fixed.

However, despite Miami still holding interest in completing the trade for Butler, signs are pointing toward the guard remaining with the Wolves when the regular season gets underway on Oct.17. In light of this, The Athletics’ Shams Charania is reporting that Butler held a players-only meeting with his teammates to reveal his stance with the franchise and to assure them that he is ready to compete with them.

“Timberwolves All-Star Jimmy Butler called a players-only meeting today, airing his feelings toward situation and management, per league sources. Butler expressed to players he would compete with them, as signs pointing to him staying with the franchise into the regular season,” Charania wrote.

The Athletic reporter’s claims were immediately disputed by Wolves point guard Jeff Teague saying there was no "players-only" meeting. However, it seems that he did not get an invite for the meeting with ESPN reporting Butler himself confirmed the meeting via text.

The Wolves have one more pre-season game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night before they get their season underway on Oct.17 against the San Antonio Spurs. There is certain to be more developments in the Butler-Wolves saga as the weekend progresses.