5 best landing spots for Jimmy Butler if he leaves the Timberwolves

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 23: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves talks to the media after the game against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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2. New York Knicks

The Knicks have made their plan for the summer of 2019 pretty clear. Team president Steve Mills has said one-year deals will be a priority this offseason, as player options exercised by Ron Baker and Enes Kanter have limited both available roster spots and money to do much of anything more than an $8.6 million mid-level exception and $3.4 million biannual exceptions this summer.

The Knicks are currently projected to have the 10th-most salary cap space in the league for 2019-20 ($44.7 million, via Spotrac), so one max contract is immediately palatable come next summer. But trading Courtney Lee ($12.76 million cap hit for 2019-20), and doing something to get rid of the albatross that is Joakim Noah and his cap hit of just under $19.3 million for 2019-20, would open the door to sign two max players from what should be a loaded free agent class next July.

The Knicks are known to be interested in Irving ahead of his potential (likely?) availability as a free agent a year from now. Making room for Butler to team in the backcourt with Irving, along with a hopefully fully healthy Kristaps Porzingis as the younger star to form an enviable trio, requires very few moving parts for New York.

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