Jimmy Butler Rumors: Clippers Move Preferred, Potential Teammates With Kawhi Leonard?

Minnesota Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler reportedly prefers a move to the Los Angeles Clippers.

It was reported Wednesday that Butler, who had a year remaining on his deal, requested a trade away from Minnesota and provided the franchise with a shortlist of one to three teams "with whom he's open to signing extension, in anticipation of trade."

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski later revealed the three teams were the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks, all of whom have the cap space to sign Butler to a max deal when he can become a free agent next summer.

However, Wojnarowski later revealed the 29-year-old's ideal choice was the Clippers.

The Clippers notably have the cap space to sign two players to max contracts and the possibility of joining them along with another top star is something that entices Butler.

Could that other star be Kawhi Leonard? The 2014 NBA Finals MVP was traded to the Toronto Raptors from the San Antonio Spurs earlier this summer but like Butler, can become a free agent next summer.

It was well-documented that his initial preference was a move to his native Los Angeles as well, with many expecting him to join the Lakers who failed in trade negotiations with the Spurs.

However, there have also been reports that Leonard no longer had a preference to move to the Lakers as he did not want to play second fiddle to LeBron James and would rather join the Clippers.

This was backed by recent comments from former NBA champion Mychal Thompson and ESPN analyst Jalen Rose.

"If Kawhi Leonard does leave Toronto, it won’t be for the Los Angeles Lakers," Rose said. "I think he wouldn’t want to play alongside LeBron James because I think that casts a shadow to his personality that he really doesn’t want."

"Classic media thing — he came out and said he wanted to play in California and everybody in the media was like 'He’s going to the Lakers'. He didn’t say that. If he leaves Toronto, in my opinion, it’s going to be for the Los Angeles Clippers. That’s said by the guy who initially told the world in January that the situation was fractured between Kawhi Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs," Rose added.

Teaming up with Butler at the Clippers, instead, could be a more intriguing option for Leonard and would certainly make them a top contender in the Western Conference, having missed out on the postseason in 2017/18.

Such a move would also serve as a double blow for the Lakers, who not only targeted Leonard but Butler as well. While a trade for Butler is possible this upcoming season before the February deadline, the Clippers would be better served waiting until he becomes a free agent.

Butler joined the Timberwolves last season and the shooting guard's regular season average of 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists helped Minnesota reach the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

In addition, the franchise won 47 games, the first time they had a winning season since the Kevin Garnett era, while they also won 13 consecutive games at home and had 18 sellouts at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

He would later reject a four-year, $110 million contract, however, and was reported to be frustrated with his teammates, notably Karl-Anthony Towns.