Nick Friedell: Adam Silver announces the Butler deal at the draft. It is now official.
NBA Rumor: Jimmy Butler to Timberwolves?
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Jon Krawczynski: I can also report Jimmy Butler will have no issues leaving Chicago and coming to Minnesota. Loves Thibs. Will welcome move.
Marc Stein: “Done deal” sources say about Jimmy Butler to Minnesota …
Ramona Shelburne: Jimmy Butler has been informed of the trade with Minnesota, per source.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Chicago is finalizing a deal to send Jimmy Butler to Minnesota for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and No. 7 pick, league source says.
Brian Windhorst: Wolves with get the No. 16 pick from Bulls in Jimmy Butler deal, sources said
KC Johnson: The Bulls have agreed in principle to deal Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves, per source.
Marc Stein: The Wolves are close to acquiring Jimmy Butler from Chicago, according to league sources
KC Johnson: The Bulls are getting Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the 7th pick, per sources. Bulls keep 16th pick.
Sean Deveney: Around the league, execs say if Jimmy Butler goes anywhere tonight, it’s Minnesota. But most think he stays put.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Minnesota continues to show interest in landing Paul George or Jimmy Butler, league sources tell @The Vertical.
Ian Begley: Opposing executives believe Minnesota is considering using its No. 7 pick as part of a package to try to re-engage the Chicago Bulls on a trade for Jimmy Butler, ESPN has learned. The Cavs had previously tried to trade for Butler but were unsuccessful. Sources told ESPN’s Marc Stein that Butler earlier this week expressed a desire to remain in Chicago and lead the Bulls back to prominence. The Vertical reported earlier this week that Minnesota had preliminary talks with Chicago about Butler.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sources: Chicago’s price for Jimmy Butler remains elevated, but Minnesota has assets and interest. Sides made preliminary contact this week. K.C. Johnson: Suns are another team to watch, per source.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sources: Chicago’s price for Jimmy Butler remains elevated, but Minnesota has assets and interest. Sides made preliminary contact this week.
The Timberwolves explored several trade options in June, including for Chicago star Jimmy Butler, but Thibodeau, also Minnesota’s president of basketball operations, now sounds as committed as anyone in the franchise to his young trio. Outside the organization, executives wonder about Minnesota’s inclination to keep all three. But within the franchise, there is no question: management and owner Glen Taylor will do whatever it takes financially in order to win. “I love our core three guys, and what I love most is their work ethic, their dedication to work,” Thibodeau said. “They understand the level we need to reach, particularly defensively, and their work shows that they will work to get it right. We understand that it’s going to take some time and we need to work at it each and every day.”
KC Johnson: Reported last night but bears repeating: When Dunn dropped past 3, TWolves offered Rubio and No. 5 pick for Butler. Bulls said no.
The Minnesota Timberwolves aggressively pursued a trade for All-Star guard Jimmy Butler on Thursday night after drafting Kris Dunn, but the talks ultimately fizzled after some initial optimism that a deal could be struck, according to league sources. Sources told ESPN.com that the Timberwolves drafted Dunn, after the Providence guard unexpectedly lasted until the fifth pick, then pushed hard to see if they could hammer out a trade with the Bulls, who are also known to be big fans of Dunn.
But the Bulls, sources say, ultimately decided not to go ahead with a deal in which they’d be forced to surrender Butler, just one day after completing a blockbuster trade with New York that sent Derrick Rose to the Knicks.
“During the draft, we started getting some texts and saw something on TV that we were in heated talks with somebody, I don’t know what it was saying,” Forman said. “We were in no talks with anybody. There was no discussion during the entire draft this evening as far as Jimmy Butler was concerned. “We have never made a call in regards to Jimmy Butler. We’ve talked about, we value Jimmy Butler, we’re very happy to have Jimmy Butler. We’ve got a phenomenal basketball player who was an All-Star and All-NBA defender, is still young, obviously we’ve got him under contract long-term, those are all positive. He, again, is what we want to be. We’ve said this all along. We like Jimmy Butler, we did not shop Jimmy Butler. Did we receive calls? Of course we did, and that’s our job to listen to calls. We get calls on a lot of our players and that’s stuff that happens all throughout the league.”
Marc Stein: ESPN sources say Wolves haven’t surrendered their Jimmy Butler quest, but longer this night goes suggests Bulls can’t bear to part with him.
KC Johnson: The Bulls’ talks to acquire Kris Dunn were more serious with the Celtics than the Timberwolves, per source.
David Aldridge: FWIW, told strongly in the last 2 minutes there is “no chance” of a Bulls-Wolves trade involving Jimmy Butler. Stay by your devices, tho.
Sam Amick: Been hearing the same. – RT: David Aldridge: FWIW, told strongly in the last 2 minutes there is “no chance” of a Bulls-Wolves trade involving Jimmy Butler. Stay by your devices, tho.
Vincent Goodwill: Hearing conflicting stuff. Bulls source adamant nothing to it
Adrian Wojnarowski: Minnesota and Chicago still in serious talks on a Jimmy Butler deal centered on fifth pick Kris Dunn, league sources tell @The Vertical
Shams Charania: Vertical Sources: Chicago and Minnesota talks for Jimmy Butler broke down. Bulls wanted Zach LaVine, not Ricky Rubio. Chicago wanted Zach LaVine and the No. 5 pick, Kris Dunn, sources tell The Vertical.
Nick Friedell: Bulls have made it clear throughout league that they expect to get a serious haul in return for any potential deal for Jimmy Butler. Picks and young, controllable assets. They didn’t feel a potential Boston deal was strong enough.
Wolves interested in Jimmy Butler
Sources say that the Bulls naturally would demand a significant amount in return to part with Butler, which likely translates to at least one front-line player in addition to a top lottery pick this month.
June 5, 2023 | 9:05 pm EDT Update
Brandon Ingram and Jaren Jackson Jr. commit to play for Team USA for FIBA 2023 World Cup
Adrian Wojnarowski: ESPN Sources: Two Western Conference All-Star forwards — New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram and Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., — are committed to play for Team USA’s FIBA World Cup team this summer in the Philippines. USA Basketball plans to finalize a 12-man roster later this month.
Indeed, on the day Dallas acquired Irving, a high-ranking member of the organization told The Dallas Morning News that along with envisioning him as a strong fit alongside Doncic, the Mavericks admired Irving’s proven track record of attracting star teammates, Exhibit A being his wooing of Kevin Durant from Golden State to Brooklyn.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on LeBron James: 'Doesn't have to prove anything'
At the unveiling of a Koreatown mural commissioned by the Lakers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said LeBron James should be the only one in control of his future after hinting at retirement following the Lakers’ elimination from the playoffs. “At the end of the year, after all that, LeBron and most of the guys looked like they’d been through two seasons, you know? But they still gave it an awesome effort,” Abdul-Jabbar said Monday. “I think it’s up to him. Certainly doesn’t have to prove anything. And it’s just what he wants to do at this point.”
Trayce Jackson-Davis explained his potential role in the NBA. I think, overall, I’ve got to be a basketball player. At the end of the day, whether I play the small-ball five or whether I play the four, (I just want) to guard positions out on the floor and do my job on offense, whatever the coach wants me to do. That is a big thing for me, being a basketball player, and showing my IQ, athletic ability and everything that comes with it.
The Athletic: Jaren Jackson Jr. was asked if he thought Dillon Brooks calling LeBron James “old” backfired in the Grizzlies-Lakers series. “It helped L.A. get around something and get some energy… but he is old. He kicked our ass and he’s old.” 🎥 @PodcastPShow
Clutch Points: “You’re always gonna make mistakes growing up… And [Ja] is the most popular player at this age probably ever… No matter what I stand by my brother.” Jaren Jackson Jr. speaks on the Ja Morant situation 🗣 (via @PodcastPShow) pic.twitter.com/H3WYtDoZ8E
June 5, 2023 | 7:45 pm EDT Update
Cason Wallace no longer included in Hawks pre-draft workout on Tuesday
Lauren L. Williams: The Hawks announced an update to Tuesday’s pre-Draft workout. Cason Wallace will no longer participate. pic.twitter.com/sfM1BGTg8g
