NBA media days typically teem with eternal optimism. Everyone is in the best shape of their life. Someone spent their summer perfecting their jumper. That first-round draft pick is ready to do whatever it takes to help the team. Every team thinks they have a shot at hitting those nebulous goals for the season.
That was not the case for Minnesota Timberwolves media day. Having been my sixth as credentialed media, I can say this was the most unusual in that time. Instead of three hours of hope and excitement, the afternoon was filled with damage control, clarifications, and prepared messages.
How could things not be this way? Jimmy Butler asked for a trade just three days before media day. In the days leading up to Tom Thibodeau’s Monday press conference, we heard the following:
- Butler requested a trade to New York, Brooklyn, or Los Angeles.
- Thibodeau was resistant to trading Butler.
- OK, fine, Thibodeau will trade Butler but only for the right deal.
- Owner Glen Taylor told teams at the Board of Governor’s meetings over the weekend to go directly to him.
- Owner Glen Taylor told teams at the Board of Governor’s meetings over the weekend to go directly to Thibodeau and Scott Layden.
Needless to say, there was much that needed to be clarified. The key takeaways from both Layden and Thibodeau were that they were not going to settle for any offer on Butler. Both men were adamant that they were willing to go into the season with Butler on the roster, with Layden going as far to pick up his phone and saying that your phone doesn’t stop ringing when you have a player like Butler on the block and that’s why he brought it to the podium.
What we saw from Thibodeau and Layden was certainly perfectly executed media training but also strategy. By going up to the podium on media day and taking all of those unpleasant questions, they were telling the rest of the league, “If you want Jimmy Butler, you’re going to have to pry him away from us,” and “We’re getting lots of offers, so make yours count when you call us.”
This was less about giving the media the answers they wanted than it was getting the team’s messages out to the rest of the league.
Thibodeau knew that the team appeared to be in disarray after rumors surfaced that Taylor was pressuring Thibodeau and Layden to trade Butler against their will. That only further diminished the leverage the team had since Butler is entering the final year of his deal and it had been made public he had no interest in signing an extension. That’s far from negotiating from a position of strength.
Thibodeau also seemed to downplay the severity of the trade request, saying that Butler wouldn’t be the first or last player to make one. He also added that Butler isn’t even the first Timberwolf to make such a request in his tenure. While true, it’s significant considering the haul the team gave up to land Butler just 15 months ago.
The other bug Thibodeau had to squash was rumors of Butler holding out. Butler was already granted exemption from participating in media, though he was in Minneapolis for his team physical. Yet, Thibodeau said when he was asked that once Butler is done rehabbing his hand that he expects him to be in camp.
If nothing else, Thibodeau attempted to recapture as much lost leverage as possible. Whether or not he’s objective enough to handle this situation remains to be seen.
Deng, Gibson believers in Andrew Wiggins
A lot of the angst surrounding Andrew Wiggins doesn’t seem to be that he’s untalented but that he should be so much better. He has the physical tools and scoring abilities to eventually grow into a two-way player. But we’ve been saying that for going on five years now and eventually he’ll just be who he is.
Aside from his coach, Wiggins has two big supporters in the locker room in Taj Gibson and Luol Deng (among others).
Gibson was quick to say that Wiggins did not receive enough credit for how he handled himself last season be thrown out of his familiar role and that he took a liking to him for how hard he works. Wiggins hasn’t made excuses for failing to adjust but Gibson recognizes how difficult that must have been. Gibson mentioned that both Towns and Wiggins are so young that we perhaps should be slower to judge.
Building off of what Thibodeau said earlier in the afternoon, Deng added that Wiggins has accomplished what very few have at his age. Yes, that’s largely inefficient volume-scoring but only 44 players in NBA history have scored more points than he has in his first four seasons.
Despite his other flaws, it’s clear that scoring could be the foundation of a useful player. This season is the time for Wiggins to fill in the other weaknesses in his game. If we’re still having these conversations in another year, then there’s a real problem.
Former Chicago Bulls look for a familiar-but-new home
Target Center has become the home for wayward NBA players. Take Derrick Rose and Luol Deng, for example.
Many fans expressed concern when Rose was signed late last season that he would take minutes from Tyus Jones. Those fans were somewhat vexed when Rose played up to 20 minutes in some games at the end of the season. His play in the postseason likely solidified his return to Minnesota, which caused further concern for both Jones and Timberwolves faithful.
Rose was clear on media day that he was there for the opportunity. He sounded like a player aware of the situation. He doesn’t need to start. He doesn’t want to take anyone’s job. When he said that he was open to playing higher or lower minutes and that he just needed the opportunity, he sounded sincere.
An easy solution to this may be more of the multi-guard lineups we saw late last season. Jones said that he would welcome playing in more of those lineups whether it was with Jeff Teague or Rose. Having that agreeability will go a long way in making this work and avoiding any hurt feelings.
For Deng, it sounded as if he has something to prove. After not playing for two years, Deng refused to make any grand public declarations and said his playing would do the talking. He even went as far as to say that it felt good to be in a place where they believed in him.
It seems both players understand that they’re no longer 25 years old with the rest of their careers in front of them. But they do know that they can still determine how their ending.
Facing distractions
Everyone that came to the podium before him seemed to deny it. How could having a star player demand a trade just days before camp not be a distraction? Surprisingly, no one said “I’m only paying attention to the players that are here,” but everyone still found a way to deny it. Except for Taj Gibson.
Gibson said that he wasn’t going to lie, it was a distraction so close to camp. He added that Butler’s trade request felt like “a right hook.” Finally, someone admitted it.
Let’s be clear, there’s no malice in Gibson’s quotes. Gibson says that he and Butler text all the time but rarely about sports. It seems that when Gibson did learn about it, that they would be good enough friends that these things were already said to Butler anyway.
A team ideally wants to know which players are going to be there and not knowing whether or not Butler will be there is distracting. Not knowing if Butler and others won’t be there and who the new guys will be is even more distracting.
While the tough guy act is unsurprising, Gibson’s honesty is refreshing.
Teague not worried about ending his playoff streak without Butler
You may have heard but Jeff Teague has never missed the playoffs in his career. Nope. No matter who he’s played with or what the preseason expectations were, Teague’s teams have elevated themselves into the playoffs.
Teague was asked if he was worried about missing the playoffs if Butler is traded and dismissed the notion entirely. He said his teams find a way to make the playoffs with a big smile on his face. He also pointed out that his Pacers team and the Timberwolves last year were counted out in the postseason race at differing points in the season but they found a way.
If Butler is traded for veterans, this is certainly possible. It seems that with the mix of personalities in the locker room that this situation could serve as a unifying force to prove they didn’t just need Jimmy Butler to make the playoffs. To do so, it’ll take players like Wiggins and Towns to take that next step. Rookie Josh Okogie may need to become that versatile defensive wing.
Maybe that’s asking a lot but Teague may be right: it’s not impossible.