Jimmy Butler Trade Rumors: Knicks, Clippers, Nets Won't Land Star If NBA History Repeats Itself

Jimmy Butler has reportedly informed the Minnesota Timberwolves that he wants to be traded to either the Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks or Brooklyn Nets. If recent history is any indication, the shooting guard is likely to end up with a team other than those three before the end of the 2018-2019 NBA season.

Butler has embraced the new trend among players, asking to be dealt as he approaches free agency. Just like Butler, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard requested a trade with a year left on their respective contracts. Kyrie Irving submitted his trade request to the Cleveland Cavaliers when he had two years remaining on his deal.

All three of those players were sent packing shortly after making it clear they wanted to play elsewhere. None of them, however, joined their desired destinations.

When George indicated that he wanted to play for the Los Angeles Lakers two summers ago, the Indiana Pacers traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Two months later, Cleveland sent Irving to the Boston Celtics, even though the point guard listed New York, San Antonio, Miami and Minnesota as his four preferred landing spots. It’s no secret that Leonard has his eyes on Los Angeles, but the Spurs sent him north of the border by completing a trade with the Toronto Raptors.

Butler holds some power because he’ll be a free agent in 2019. Teams that believe the shooting guard would be a one-year rental will be less inclined to make Minnesota a strong offer. Despite reports that Timberwolves head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau doesn’t want to trade Butler, it’s hard to believe that the organization would risk losing an All-NBA player for nothing next summer.

Butler’s impending free agency could make it less likely that teams like the Clippers, Knicks or Nets will make Minnesota a compelling offer. Why offer valuable assets for a player that you could potentially sign in less than a year without trading anything?

Maybe George’s decision to stay in Oklahoma City will change the approach by L.A. or one of the New York teams, but missing out on Butler wouldn’t be the end of the world. The Clippers, Nets and Knicks could all have room under the salary cap to sign two max free agents in 2019 when several stars will be able to sign elsewhere.

Next year’s free agent class could potentially include Butler, Irving, Leonard, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson. All-Stars Kemba Walker and DeMarcus Cousins will also be looking for new contracts.

Minnesota almost certainly won’t meet Butler’s request to be traded by Monday. This could even last into the season with the Timberwolves waiting until closer to February’s trade deadline. A lot can happen over the next few months, increasing the number of potential trade candidates.

Perhaps the Los Angeles Lakers will get off to a slow start and Magic Johnson will decide he needs to pair LeBron James with another superstar this season. Boston and Philadelphia both have young players and future draft picks that could entice Minnesota.

Oklahoma City wasn’t on the radar when Paul George asked for his trade. Toronto was only a dark-horse candidate for Kawhi Leonard a few months ago.

There should be plenty of Jimmy Butler trade rumors in the coming weeks, and there’s a good chance the whole saga will end with him playing for a team that isn’t on his wish list.