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In 2018, after news broke that Jimmy Butler wanted out of Minnesota and demanded a trade, he was absent from team practices and other activities. Until his big return.
Back then, Butler surprisingly showed up to Minnesota Timberwolves practice and took out his frustrations on his teammates, coaches and general manager Scott Layden.
Butler even teamed up with the third string players, to take on the starters in scrimmages, and beat them, while trash-talking them in the process. The practice session ended with Butler being escorted out of the facility by security.
At one point in a scrimmage, sources said, Butler turned to GM Scott Layden and screamed, “You (bleeping) need me. You can’t win without me.” Butler left teammates and coaches largely speechless. He dominated the gym in every way. Jimmy’s back.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 10, 2018
“I do remember this. We had practice, we had that game, it was the four starters, it was Jimmy, it was his boy from Marquette and three other guys – I think one of whom ended up being a starter for us…
… He was passing, I was balling. He got one free throw. I remember we had a moment when we were arguing with each other. He said some sh*t, I said some sh*t back, I wasn’t going for that…
… They ended up winning the game. I think they got a last-second shot to go in. So it was like a quick little scrimmage and I remember the whole happening where he’s screaming at the people.
We had practice again now, it was all five of us. There’s all the starters, you had me, Wigg, Jeff, Taj and Jimmy vs, I think it was the third unit. We lost to the third unit, by like 10 points.”
