Along with requesting a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jimmy Butler reportedly provided president of basketball operations and head coach Tom Thibodeau with a list of three teams he was interested in being sent to and would sign a contract extension with.
Somewhat surprisingly, the Los Angeles Lakers were not included. Instead, Butler reportedly has his sights on the Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks and Clippers.
Although a previous report suggested Butler was open to signing with the Lakers to play alongside LeBron James, the 14-time All-Star more recently was mentioned as the reason Butler was no longer bullish on joining the storied franchise.
He nonetheless has a strong desire to move to Los Angeles and play for the Clippers, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:
Minnesota's Jimmy Butler is most determined to find a way to the Los Angeles Clippers, league sources tell ESPN. The appeal of partnering with a second star – the Clippers have two max contract slots available in summer free agency – is an intriguing scenario for him.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 20, 2018
The Clippers have the necessary assets to present the Timberwolves with arguably the best trade offer for Butler. However, what they may be willing to part with given the 29-year-old is in the final year of his contract is unknown. Of course, a commitment from Butler to re-sign with the team could mitigate the issue.
Much like the Lakers, the Clippers have been connected to Kawhi Leonard as he remains on track to become a 2019 free agent. Some even consider the Clippers to have the inside track to sign Leonard, also because of a possible hesitancy to play with James.
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