Jimmy Butler trade with Rockets being held up over Eric Gordon?

As the Houston Rockets try to swing a deal for Jimmy Butler, the Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly want Eric Gordon.

The Houston Rockets seem to in the mix to acquire Jimmy Butler from the Minnesota Timberwolves, with a reported offer centered around four first-round picks a few days ago. But head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau surely want some pieces to help him win now if he moves Butler. According to ESPN’s Malika Andrews, Rockets’ guard Eric Gordon is a “mandatory piece” for Minnesota in any deal that would send Butler to Houston.

After being an oft-injured underachiever, Gordon has found a new level over two-plus seasons with the Rockets. He won NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2017, after averaging 16.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while making 37.2 percent from beyond the arc over 75 games (15 starts) during the 2016-17 campaign. He followed that up by averaging 18.0 points per game and making just under 36 percent from 3-point range last year, as he was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year.

The Timberwolves have lagged way behind the 3-point shooting evolution, and they’re only marginally better early this season (29.5 attempts per game entering Saturday; 22nd in the league). That’s where Gordon would help the most, as he averaged 8.8 3-point attempts per game in each of the last two full seasons and he’s averaging 7.8 attempts from beyond the arc so far this season.

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor has put the Butler trade dealings in the hands of general manager Scott Layden, so Thibodeau can focus on coaching the team. But Friday night’s 125-95 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks was the team’s worst in his tenure as coach, as things seem to have reached a low point as the behind the scenes drama leaks onto the court. And Thibodeau can still be pulling the strings in any trade talks regarding Butler.

Gordon is a useful player, but the Timberwolves drawing some sort of line where he has to be part of the return in a deal that would send Butler to the Rockets is odd. Then again, basically nothing about how the Butler situation is being handled has been normal.