The Jimmy Butler-Minnesota Timberwolves saga was memorable for many reasons. The veteran swingman didn’t like the lack of competitiveness he sensed in his teammates once he landed in Minny, which led him to request a trade from the team.
After the team initially denied the request, Jimmy forced his way out of the organization. They ultimately shipped him to Philadelphia, but things didn’t change for Jimmy in the City of Brotherly Love.
At the peak of his back and forth with the T-Wolves, Kevin Garnett had some things to say about that situation, taking a big shot at Butler for ‘whining’ about the situation he had signed for. The Big Ticket took pride in never requesting a trade from the franchise, which is why he never understood why others did it.
Via Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic:
Pregame locker rooms for KG-led teams were painfully quiet, with Garnett making it clear in no uncertain terms that it was a time for focus, for preparation, for concentration. Those who could not abide were castigated. Those who didn’t like it … well, this is what he told me in 2018 at the height of the Jimmy Butler drama:
“I built this house,” he said when I asked about why he never requested a trade back in the day. “I’m not leaving this goddamn house. You can get the fuck up out of here. You don’t like it, then leave.
“I would hear a bunch of whining and it’s snowing and it’s cold and why are we practicing. Man, you know what this was when you signed up. If you don’t want to be here, get the fuck up out of here, man. Guys know this. Guys know what you sign up for. I never asked for a trade because I never wanted to be traded.”
KG’s personality is very intense. He never backed down to any challenge and was ready to climb the mountain if that meant he would beat his rivals. He came close to playing in the Finals with the Timberwolves in 2004, but the Los Angeles Lakers told otherwise when they clashed in the Western Conference finals.
Even though Butler never took Minnesota to those rounds, he led the team to their last playoffs appearance. He has a similar personality to Garnett, but the 2004 NBA MVP didn’t agree with Butler’s methods to force his way out of Minny, let alone the reasons why he decided to call it quits with the team.
