NBA Trade Rumors: Jimmy Butler trade talks have gone cold

NBA Trade Rumors: The Jimmy Butler trade talks have reportedly gone cold, even though he’s still expected to be dealt by the NBA trade deadline

Jimmy Butler requested a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves over a month ago, and from all the reports it feels like there has been little-to-no progress.

Tom Thibodeau clearly doesn’t want to trade Butler, mostly because he wants to win and having one of the best two-way players in the game gives him the best opportunity to do that. The asking price is insanely high, so much so that it has caused trade talks to suffer.

According to Shams Charania, of The Athletic, trade talks are dead. For now.

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"[via The Athletic]For now, Minnesota’s talks with teams around the NBA are mostly dormant, league sources told The Athletic."

The regular season has now started and has become awkward for some of the teams involved in these trade discussions, namely the Miami Heat. It became so much of an elephant in the room that Pat Riley had to address the situation, something that is rarely done in the tight-lipped Heat organization.

Perhaps that could be a big reason why talks are dead now, considering the Wolves and Heat were the two parties talking the most. Apart from the Heat, the LA Clippers and Houston Rockets are two others teams that have inquired.

The expectation is that the Brooklyn Nets could also rejoin talks at some point, especially if this continues to linger closer to the NBA Trade Deadline. And as the trade deadline approaches, the asking price is only going to drop more and more – depending on who you ask, of course.

This is really going to come down to Thibs, and when he is ready to move Jimmy B – or when he’s forced to move him. Right now, there’s not enough pressure for him to make a move or find a deal. He wants to win, and he’s going to keep the team together as long as he can.

How long will Glen Taylor allow this to go on? That’s the millionaire dollar question.