Now days, Jeff Teague is out of the league (last played during the 2020-21 season). Of course, that doesn’t mean he’s out of mind. The 12-year NBA point guard recently started co-hosting a podcast recently called the “Club 520 Podcast” and on the most recent episode, Teague recanted the Jimmy Butler practice debacle story from his point of view.

Jeff Teague gives new perspective on Jimmy Butler blow-up

Included were some juicy details that had not been made public, up until this podcast airing. The best part is embedded in a clip below but let me set the scene because that clip doesn’t include the lead up to Butler’s post-scrimmage rant.

According to Teague, Butler got to training camp three days late. When he did finally show, he refused to participate in any drills early on at his first practice with the team. That was until, then head coach Tom Thibodeau, called for an intersquad scrimmage. At that point, Jimmy declared himself ready so Thibs named him as a starter next to KAT, Wiggins, Teague and Taj Gibson.

To that, Teague recants Jimmy yelling, “I ain’t playing with them”. From there, instead of putting himself on the 2nd team, Butler declared himself a member of the 3rd team. Guys who had absolutely no chance of making the team. So, Thibs replaced Butler, in the starting lineup, with Derrick Rose and the scrimmage between the 1st and 3rd team (plus Butler) began.

Jimmy goes nuclear

After Jimmy led his ragtag squad to victory over the starters, he went crazy, according to his former teammate, who I will let take it from here (clip transcribed below).

Jimmy Butler been the ????
Story time with Teague >>> pic.twitter.com/PBuNBZgNAa

— SBWells (@wellssssssssss) April 27, 2023

“Time run out and they win, they beat us like 18-6, right. Man, Jimmy going crazy. ‘Y’all think that team can win without me! I’m HIM! Pay me! Pay me!’ Mind you, he ain’t took off his Jordan warm up yet so he finally takes it off. He got the Timberwolves shirt on but he cut the Minnesota out so it’s just chest. He cut the Minnesota [logo] out the shorts, it’s just shorts.

He out here with a hole in the middle of his shirt, in the middle of his leg, so I’m crying now, you know? I’m crying… I’m like ‘yo bro, you crazy’ but I didn’t realize he just beat us with the G-League team so he’s like, ‘I just beat them with the G-Leaguers! This is your starters?!’ So now, I’m laughing, I’m still crying laughing, but I’m like ‘hold on, he talking about me… Yeah, I’m one of the starters’. So, I’m mad now. All of us [starters] are like ‘nah, F-that like we gotta play again!'”

Jeff Teague – Club 520 Podcast

Butler ditches practice for Rachel Nichols interview

Unfortunately for Jeff and the rest of the Wolves starters that day, they did not get another chance at beating Jimmy Butler’s 3rd stringers. Instead, according to Teague, Thibs made the starters play against the 2nd team first. At that point, Butler sprinted for the locker room

After the starters beat the 2nd team, all of them ran back to the locker room to retrieve Jimmy and demand a rematch. He was nowhere to be found. Why? Well after returning to the gym and completing practice, they returned to the locker room to shower and go home. Then, they turned on the TV and guess who was doing a live interview on ESPN with Rachel Nichols?

“Jimmy just darts to the locker room. I’m talking about running, fast as hell. So we play the second unit, we beat them. We [starters] all run to the locker room, we’re like, ‘Jimmy, bring your ass back out here, we want to play again!’ Jimmy gone. Jimmy at home.

We keep playing, we have practice for like another hour. We all showering, we go in the locker room and ESPN pop up. [It’s] Rachel Nichols and Jimmy Butler on TV. We like ‘what the f***!’. [Butler then tells Nichols in the interview] ‘yeah, I just killed them at practice and I think they all good players…’ We like ‘what… hold on’. I can’t make this up bro. He came and killed us and then did an interview at home. [It was] one of the most iconic moments I’ve ever been a part of in basketball, bro.'”

Jeff Teague – Club 520 Podcast

All planned out

That’s when the Minnesota Timberwolves locker room realized that Jimmy Butler had planned that entire day out. He knew he was going to go to practice and beat the 1st team with the 3rd team. From there, he scheduled Rachel Nichols to meet him back at his house, where he would tell her what happened, among other things.

"All my emotion came out at one time."

Jimmy Butler sat down with @Rachel__Nichols to talk about today's practice and what led to it. See more on SportsCenter at 6 ET and NBA Countdown at 7 ET ???? pic.twitter.com/znPpDwyW9y

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 10, 2018

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Atlanta has traded guard Allen Crabbe to Minnesota for PG Jeff Teague and Treveon Graham, league sources tell ESPN. Hawks get a backup for Trae Young.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 16, 2020

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Well, the final lingering piece of the Tom Thibodeau era is on his way back to Atlanta. Jeff Teague was supposed to be an upgrade to Ricky Rubio but ended up being nothing more than a ball-stop who had issues facilitating before dribbling. Watching Teague try a post-entry pass was like watching me trying to have sex with my wife….  It was such an obvious problem that Teague actually volunteered to come off the bench, where he wouldn’t be tasked with getting the ball to Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Treveon Graham was shipped out as part of the deal too. He was averaging 20 points per game and has a bright future but Rosas & Co. must have decided that obsolving this team of Jeff Teague was far overdue, and if it took Graham to get it done… then it was time to say goodbye.

The Wolves brought back Allen Crabbe in the deal, who isn’t any good and on an expiring deal. He was once a formidable player but a lingering knee injury last season has left his boxscores a shell of its past self. In 2019-20, Crabbe has seen his minutes drop from 24+ MPG to just 18+. With the lack of playing time, the numbers have obviously fallen too. He’s averaging just 5 PPG, down from his career average of 9.2. His 3 PT% has fallen from 39% to 33%, which might as well be a death sentence in today’s game.

This deal was likely made most for it’s roster space, which Woj actually mentions in his report..

Minnesota is also sending the Hawks guard Treveon Graham in a deal that moves guard Allen Crabbe to the Timberwolves, league sources said. Minnesota creates an open roster spot that could be useful in bigger trades before the Feb. 6 deadline.

I’m excited to see what Rosas & Co. have in store for us before the deadline hits…. I mean, what else do Wolves fans have to look forward to at this point?

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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Why does it seem so damn difficult for the Timberwolves to win games? I feel like they are fighting tooth and nail in the Western Conference to somehow squeak into the 8th playoff seed before the season ends in two months. Earning one of those 8 spots would make them one of 16 total playoff teams in the NBA.

In other words, the Wolves might not be a top-15 team league-wide, with no money to get any better. So, what are we doing to make sure we position ourselves in the best spot possible, to make sure we improve before Karl Anthony Towns demands out in a few years?

Absolutely fucking nothing. With only two days left before the deadline, the Wolves’ front office continues to drag its feet.

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Just two days out from the deadline, the @Timberwolves as we know them are still intact. But GM Scott Layden is making the rounds.

The latest details, from @JonKrawczynski:https://t.co/hYonfWkUEA

— The Athletic (@TheAthleticMIN) February 5, 2019

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It shouldn’t be this hard to make a playoff that includes half of the league. If you’re writing checks as big as the ones that Glen Taylor is scratching over the next handful of years, you should expect to be fighting for deep playoff runs, not early playoff exits.

Hey Glen, it’s time to give up on this Timberwolves team. Not just on this season, but on the entire Thibs era. We need to be cleansed.

It’s time to trade everyone over the age of 25 (minus Robert Covington (28)) and move on as a franchise. Let’s bottom this bitch out and try to grab one of these Dukies in the top-3. That’s the smart thing to do for the franchise, going forward.

I’m sick of hearing about “talks not going anywhere” or that the Wolves aren’t “getting the types of offers they are looking for” on the trade market… Well, what the fuck are we looking for in return for some of these guys?

Grab as much draft capitol as you can for Rose, Gibson, and Tolliver. Then put Teague, Wiggins, and Dieng out on the curb next to a “for free” sign to see if anyone will take them on before reading the small print.

“You don’t have to give us any players or draft picks back in return but you have to take all of the money they are owed…”

Teague’s player option for 2020 guarantees him $19 Million if he picks it up (he won’t touch that much on the open market), and Dieng has $33 Million and two years left on his deal. Both contracts are making those guys impossible to move, according to The Athletic, and Wiggins’ massive new contract is obviously the biggest problem in moving him. I’m not sure he’s worth the price of the average concession stand worker on most nights.

We need to get rid of Teague before the season is over. If he straps that $19M to us next season, you’d might as well just keep everyone off of the court and just put a big fucking L over the entire calendar. They’d be bringing back the exact same core as this season.

 Towns + Wiggins + Teague…

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Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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With injuries plaguing both Jeff Teague and Derrick Rose, something has come to light with our beloved Tyus Jones.

He’s ready to start in the league.

Since Rose went out 2 games ago, Tyus has done nothing but put up historic advanced metrics. So historic that we are having trouble finding people on his level.

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Tyus Jones leads the NBA in Assist-to Turnover Ratio (6.16 to 1) & Steal-to-Turnover Ratio (2.37 to 1)

I can locate no season in which a player who played over 63 minutes has had both of those ratios. Mo Cheeks 1991-92 had 5.14 and 2.31.

— Hoops Maven (@HoopsMavenHM) December 31, 2018

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The advanced stats only get better from there.

According to Fansided’s BullDurham.com, Tyus Jones is leading the league in Assist/Turnover Ratio (6.8), Steal/Turnover Ratio (2.4), and Steal to Foul Ratio (1.4), while also ranking 5th league-wide in Steals per 48 minutes at 3.1.

This is supposed to be the type of player that Thibs is in love with but when Jeff and Derrick come back, his high efficiency will go right back to the bench where he has to scrape for minutes. Those days should be over for the Apple Valley native.

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And Tyus isn’t just statistically appealing. Watching him ball is fun. He gets in passing lanes and anticipates on defense. He has Ricky Rubio in his passing too. The Wolves would be foolish to let him get away this offseason.

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But, we all know that one of Mr. Tom Thibodeau’s drawbacks is his ability to adapt to the moment. If he is going to make such a drastic change mid-season, he might need some help. Luckily for Tom, I’m here for him.

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Step 1: Trade Jeff Teague

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As much as Thibs would like to believe it’s feasible to keep all three of our point guards, he’s wrong. If Jones is going to get the minutes he deserves, Teague needs to hit the road. As 1500 ESPN discusses in their “Raised by Wolves” podcast, Jeff just isn’t the right fit for a high-flying athletic offense. He just plays too damn slow…

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? WOLVES TRADE SPECULATION ?

Does Jeff Teague fit in with this Wolves roster, or does he need to go? pic.twitter.com/otYLmr1IES

— 1500 ESPN (@1500ESPN) December 20, 2018

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What would we get for him?

Fansided’s Dunking with Wolves has a few ideas and they are realistic with pretty good assets coming back in return.

• BULLS: Teague + Gibson + Deng + Unprotected 1st Round Pick FOR Jabari Parker
• SUNS: Teague + Tolliver + 2021 Unprotected 1st Round Pick FOR Josh Jackson
• MAGIC: Teague + Gibson + 2020 2nd Round Pick FOR Terrence Ross + Khem Birch

Any trade would be better off with more players (who actually get playing time) going out than coming back in. With guys like Okogie and Tolliver already riding the bench when everyone is healthy, we’d be looking for as much value as possible for one player or a player + pick(s).

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STEP 2: Move Derrick Rose Back to Bench

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Derrick Rose has been a lot more than what anyone expected when he first came here. I can’t say he’s the guy I would have wanted to keep between him and Teague. But, he’s surprised us all.

However, he’s been his best self when coming off of the bench. He was mopping up 2nd teams all over the league before Teague went down. 

He’s been good since being moved into the starting role but allowing him to dominate the ball with the 2nd unit might be more advantageous for everyone. 

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Best @drose season since 2012 ✔️
Sixth Man of the Year candidate ✔️

Fourth @NBAAllStar appearance? ⬇️

— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) December 25, 2018

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Who knows what Tyus Jones will be as he progresses through his NBA career. What I do know, is that he’s ready to start that climb now. 

If he continues to eat his minutes on the bench when everyone is healthy, Thibs will be doing Jones, the team, the fans, and Thibs’ own career a major disservice.

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Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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Before breaking down the most recent Minnesota Timberwolves’ reports, I’d like to give a quick shout-out to 26-year-old superstar, Kawhi Leonard.

If it weren’t for the rumors confirmation that Leonard “wants out” from San Antonio, this report from the Sporting News’ Sean Deveney would have been blown even further out of proportion:

Amid offseason of drama, Timberwolves walking dangerous line between breakthrough and breakdown https://t.co/r7ekfgCeUj

— Sean Deveney (@SeanDeveney) June 15, 2018

In this piece, Sean Deveney starts by patting the Timberwolves on the back for their recent progress, before moving to the topic of Karl-Anthony Towns.

Despite Brian Windhorst’s previous suggestion that Towns may be traded to Bean-Town, Deveney takes the more popular opinion that KAT is “too talented to be traded.”

via GIPHY

From there, the topic shifts to the other 2/3 of Minnesota’s “Big Three”. According to Sporting News, like your cocktails during this aggressively warm weekend, Jimmy Butler and Andrew Wiggins’ relationship is on the rocks:

This behind-the-curtain look should come as no surprise to Wolves’ fans who have been paying attention.

Jimmy Butler is an absolute grinder and that’s a secret to no one. The Tomball, Texas native made it to the NBA against incredible odds. Once in the league, the 30th overall pick in the 2011 draft transformed himself into a superstar via the same absurd work ethic that got him there. On top of different NBA upbringings and mentalities, Butler also came out MULTIPLE times last season and questioned the mentality of unnamed teammates. He didn’t really need to name them…

Mr. Buckets has done this dance with teammates before (2015):

Jimmy’s well-documented mindset of always giving 110% isn’t the only thing making the fallout reports with Andrew believable. Let’s remember, the Timberwolves aren’t far removed from reports of Andrew Wiggins’ unhappiness with his current role in the organization.

As explained in our piece from over a month ago, Wiggins greatest asset is his offensive prowess. While this part of one’s game would make Wiggins stand out positively on a lot of NBA teams (including the T-Wolves earlier in his career), when partnered with KAT and Butler…. well this headline says it best:

Minnesota’s two reigning All-Stars demand (rightfully) their fair share of field goal attempts. Jimmy is a proven NBA baller on both sides of the court and KAT is one of the best offensive weapons in the world. And let’s not forget, both KAT and Butler have contract extensions on the table. Glen Taylor, Thibodeau, & Co. need to do everything in their power to ensure those all-important agreements are reached.

For those reasons, if the sometimes-lackadaisical Wiggins doesn’t want to attend a “come to Jesus grit” meeting, and that makes Jimmy unhappy, it’s time for an immediate full court press to trade the Canadian-born baller.

Securing and satisfying Minnesota’s other two top-tier players is a much more important priority.

What can the #TWolves get in return for Andrew Wiggins? #AllEyesNorth

?: @TheJohnnyMNhttps://t.co/jXoiS4uwU4

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) May 14, 2018

Sidebar: Do you think trader Rick Spielman has a minute? We could use his assistance. 

In closing, Deveney’s article also touches on the beloved Minnesota native, Tyus Jones. Apparently, he was going to request out of his home-state, when he heard that Derrick Rose may be returning. That wouldn’t have finally caused the mob to start marching to Target Center with torches and pitchforks, would it? Well, before you buy your lighter fluid…

R-E-L-A-X:

One problem with @BleacherReport or any aggregator is that you don’t get the full story. I addressed Tyus Jones in my piece, which clearly said he DROPPED any notion of asking for a trade. https://t.co/enXH1hPAnq

— Sean Deveney (@SeanDeveney) June 16, 2018

Johnny Minnesota (@TheJohnnyMN)
MinnesotaSportsFan.com

While the NBA’s version of the Final Four battle it out in their respective Conference Finals’ matchup, the Association’s other twenty-six franchises are on to the next one.

In case you forgot, the 2017 offseason was one of the craziest in its history. The plethora of blockbuster trades involving the likes of Kyrie Irving, Isaiah Thomas, Jimmy Butler (sup?), Chris Paul and others drastically altered the NBA’s landscape.

The euphoria of the Jimmy Buckets acquisition seems extremely difficult to match. For the magnitude of any of this offseason’s fireworks to remotely compare to 2017’s proverbial pyrotechnics, Andrew Wiggins would have to be involved in a MASSIVE deal:

Although the Bill Simmons’ created website wants to see Wiggins dealt, I’m extremely torn on the topic.

First off, it’s important to remember that Maple Jordan is a mere 23 years-old. The man who isn’t even near his prime posted 23.6 PPG (45.2 FG%) during the 2016-17 season. His offensive talents are off the charts.

Throw the damn towel man, Andrew Wiggins posterizes Jakob Poeltl for the second time in the same half. ? pic.twitter.com/eZzgNSNX23

— Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) January 21, 2018

On the flip side, when breaking down his 2017-18 statistical drop-off, only some of Wiggins decreased numbers make sense. It doesn’t take a basketball guru to comprehend that Jimmy Butler is going to attempt more FGs than the likes of Brandon Rush. While the difference in teammates helps explain the drop in production by 5.9 points per game, it certainly doesn’t justify his decrease in player efficiency rating.

• 2015-16 PER: 16.5
• 2016-17 PER: 16.5
• 2017-18 PER: 13.0

Second of all, my willingness to appreciate an Andrew Wiggins trade, (obviously) depends on who the Timberwolves would receive in return. For example: If a hypothetical transaction involves receiving the likes of Andre Drummond or Hassan Whiteside, I’ll tweak. Spazz City.

To me, a proposed formula that Minnesota improves by trading for one of these two doesn’t equate. If you want to do the New Orleans style dual big man thing, both need the ability to shoot with range. While Drummond and Whiteside are studs defensively, I’m not sure either knows how to perform a jump shot, let alone make one.

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Now that the “ I can’t hit a free-throw crew” has been addressed, here are some other names to keep an eye on:  

Kawhi Leonard:

After a soap opera worthy ’17-’18 campaign with the Spurs, Leonard “wants out” of San Antonio.

While the potential of acquiring the 2x Defensive Player of the Year for a Wiggins package may seem ideal, unless you’re the Lakers, trading for The Klaw puts to many eggs in next season’s basket:

Lakers reportedly believe they can get Kawhi Leonard next year. https://t.co/wlriLzsSUa pic.twitter.com/NzwRVoMpNB

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) May 11, 2018

OMG it’s Kawhi in a gold and purple Klaw hat at a dodgers game. Let’s freak out about it at 4pm!! pic.twitter.com/yMM1qAbPnB

— Rudy Jay (@RudyJay760) May 11, 2018

As much as I adore the artist known as The Klaw’s game, parting ways with Wiggins (and more) for the 2019 Free Agent (who is a Los Angeles native) seems extremely shortsighted.

DeMar Derozan:

The 28 year-old DeMar Derozan has spent his entire career in Toronto. After the Raptors once again got Lebron’d out of the playoffs, his name is being aggressively involved in trade rumors. With Wiggins being a native of Canada, the swap (plus a Wolves’ pick or two) comes off to some as ideal:

Andrew Wiggins (3rd year stats) – 23.6 ppg, 2.3 apg, 4.0 rpg, 45% FG, 36% 3FG

DeMar DeRozan (9th year stats) – 23.0 ppg, 5.2 apg, 3.9 rpg, 46% FG, 31% 3FG

Yet Raptors fans on here wouldn’t trade DeRozan for Wiggins LMFAOOOOO

— saw IW 9x ? (@DeMidRange) May 12, 2018

I’m of the adage that unless it’s basically straight up, you pass on this veteran. In addition to his putrid three-point percentage, the USC product’s defense has been referred to as “porous.” Andrew Wiggins’ ceiling towers over DeRozan’s already-reached peak.

Kyle Lowry:

DeRozan’s backcourt teammate? No, no, no, no. They can keep the 32 year-old. When you parlay Lowry’s age, with his plummeting 2017-18 stats, it’s not pretty.

Honestly, I thought he was about to take up accounting:

This man looks like he wants to change careers right now and I dont blame him for a damn second pic.twitter.com/1FmUGNFA7P

— Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) May 6, 2018

Russell Westbrook:

Pipe dream, right? I’m not so sure about that. Check out this quote from ESPN’s Zach Lowe:

Surprisingly, the 2016-17 NBA MVP is already 29 years old. In addition to Westbrook’s age, Paul George is expected to leave OKC to join the Lakers. As the end of Russ’ prime inches closer and closer, the logic behind the Thunder calling for a complete rebuild begins to make more and more sense.

I’m not alone in this mindset:

Dear @okcthunder,

Please trade Westbrook to the @Timberwolves for Tyus Stones, Andrew Wiggins and a first round pick.

Sincerely,
A concerned fan

— Sam Lindgren (@stlindgren) May 9, 2018

The Timberwolves have to (at least) make a phone call, right? The Suns probably will, right?

Assuming the Thunder front office laughs at a Wiggins, Jones, and first round pick proposal, the Wolves have more to offer (Dieng, Teague, Patton, other picks, etc.). Mix that shit up. Get passive aggressively aggressive. If it helps, include my soul in the negotiations. Screw it.

We’re talking about Russell f*cken Westbrook.

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When it’s all said and done, I’m certainly not holding my breathe on the 7x All Star making Minnesota his new home. However, if it happened, these two would probably want to ride this Minnesota Timberwolf thing out:

The instability REALLY makes me nervous when both KAT and Butler have extensions in the table…. https://t.co/5H5wHooXHc

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) May 12, 2018

Johnny Minnesota (@TheJohnnyMN)
MinnesotaSportsFan.com

For those of you who didn’t make it through last night’s Jazz/Timberwolves game Friday night, that might as well have started at midnight for some of us, you missed a pretty incredible game. It was entertaining in just about every facet.

Karl Towns was aggressive and dominating on the offensive end, early. Rudy Gobert was throwing Wolves’ shots into the 2nd row from everyone without KAT initials. That guy gets more impressive every time I watch him play. Utah is on a hot-streak and could surprise some teams, heading down the stretch.

Eventually, the Jazz won, what ended up being a closer game than what I expected, after Towns was ejected in the 2nd quarter. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that part? Towns was fouled in the 2nd quarter by Jae Crowder and in the shiver KAT delivered with his left arm, to gain position during the contact, an accidental blow to the chin of Crowder was also delivered (full summary video at bottom).

Now, the call itself was bullshit. This whole “incidental contact to the face” with an elbow/forearm is stupid. The contact was Crowder’s fault. That is even admitted by the refs, since he was the one the PERSONAL foul was called on, for the play. The only thing KAT was called for was a technical foul that derived from the contact from Crowder’s personal foul. Confused yet?

On top of that, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, the referees have discretion with this rule, where they dictate whether to call a flagrant foul or a technical foul. In last night’s case, there was a big difference. Because two technicals equals an ejection (one flagrant and one tech does NOT).

And, just before the 2nd half came to an end, shit hit the fan.

Karl-Anthony Towns scores over Gobert and picks up his 2nd technical of the game and is ejected. Weak. pic.twitter.com/ZzUbXS0Fuz

— Scott Charlton (@Scott_Charlton) March 3, 2018

Are we having fun yet? Well, that was just the tipping point. The second half was even more eventful.

First, Jeff Teague got pissed off and may have taken out some of the frustration he’s had on the many Minnesota Ricky Rubio lovers, who have been sliding into Teague’s DM’s, on Ricky Rubio himself.

Jeff Teague gets ejected after hip-checking Ricky Rubio. pic.twitter.com/z0ClZn1eya

— ESPN (@espn) March 3, 2018

So, that led to an ejection for Teague and a Jae Crowder/Tom Thibodeau old-school bar mouth fight. You know, the kind that will never lead to anything, as friends from both sides are already on the way to get between the two? I have to give Thibs some credit, though. Crowder is a big man, but that’s the last thing on Tom’s mind. Whatever is on his mind, he wants Crowder to know about it.

Y aquí Tom Thibodeau quejándose y discutiendo con Jae Crowder, ¿por qué? ¿Es que no se pasa Teague? Qué actitudes tan cuestionables de los Timberwolves anoche… pic.twitter.com/FRizoYDZG9

— Anastasio Ríos (@Tasio93) March 3, 2018

So, Crowder got tossed too and Thibs picked up the Wolves’ 47th Technical foul (5th w/o exaggeration) of the game. At this point, even non-NBA people, were tuning in. The action was so good and so controversial, that Jimmy Butler was obviously foaming at the mouth to be a part of it, from somewhere other than Utah:

haven’t used Twitter in years. But yeah Jeff that’s what I like to see. Rubio getting up quick for no reason.

— Jimmy Butler (@JimmyButler) March 3, 2018

Jae get away from my coach. You don’t want no smoke either

— Jimmy Butler (@JimmyButler) March 3, 2018

Does Jimmy Butler care that Jeff Teague ran Ricky Rubio off the court, like a road-enraged GMC 2500 sick of the Volkswagen Jetta that can’t hold a consistent speed, in the left lane next to them?

Does Jimmy Butler care that Jae Crowder was minding his own business before Tom Thibodeau called him over to yell at him like he played on his own team?

via GIPHY

Jimmy Butler doesn’t care because the only thing he cares about are his teammates. He picked up his Twitter for the first time since 2016, to be there for his teammates, because he couldn’t be there in person.

Jimmy Butler is the friend you need next to you at the bar when you accidentally spill that drink on the guy who took an extra shot of steroids that morning. He’s the guy you want next to you when you start something you find out you can’t finish yourself. Jimmy’s never gonna ask who started it. Hell, he doesn’t even give a shit. He’s running over, under, and through the party to make sure he lays that first haymaker.

via GIPHY

This is why Jimmy Butler was needed for this team’s future. This is why he will bring this team to levels it’s never been at. Jimmy Butler is the ULTIMATE teammate and that sort of selflessness is contagious.

As for the Timberwolves; another loss dropped them all the way to 6th in the Western Conference. With a grueling schedule coming up and with Butler likely out until the Playoffs, the rest of the team needs to channel their inner-Jimmy and make sure they pull out a 6th-seed or better so they don’t have a date with Golden State or Houston in the 1st round.

We need Towns and Wiggins to grow up VERY quickly while Taj, Jeff, Jamal take over the leadership roles, since they know what it takes to be a Playoff team.

Hang on Wolves’ fans. It’s gonna be a WILD ride to the finish line…

Eric Strack (Founder/Editor/Social Media)
Minnesota Sports Fan
MinnesotaSportsFan.com @RealMNSportsFan

Prior to its 2PM CST trade deadline, on Thursday, the NBA was wheeling and dealing. For comparison purposes, the league was almost as active as FitBit’s newest ambassador, Andrew Wiggins.

In regards to your Minnesota Timberwolves, they weren’t involved in the asset swapping fiesta. While we stayed away like my fellow Millennials do when they receive a phone call, the Cleveland Cavaliers did the opposite. Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, and Derrick Rose’, now-former employer, participated in not one, not two, but three deadline deals.

Stop, Lebron. It was three trades. Not one, not two, BUT three. As for your Miami Championships?

My bad. I’m salty over how he stuffed the hell out of Jimmy, and then channelled his inner Christian Laettner for the game-winner on Wednesday night. Shit happens, I suppose. Kings will be kings.

Anywho, back to the trades. As mentioned, Derrick Rose is no longer a part of the Lebron James’ run show, that is Cleveland, Ohio. Rose, who is a shell of his former MVP self, was traded to Utah. Despite the move, per reports, he won’t even touch a Jazz uniform. With the 29 year-old being released by Utah, where will he go from there? Well..

The Timberwolves will try to sign Derrick Rose if he clears waivers after his looming release by Utah, according to league sources

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 8, 2018

With Tom Thibodeau in charge, Minnesota is a natural landing spot for Derrick Rose, who has interest in a reunion, league sources say

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 8, 2018

Say it with me Wolves Nation – DAMNIT! Considering our current point guard situation, this doesn’t sound too “natural” to me. My main concern, as well as MANY others, is D-Rose cutting into Tyus Jones’ minutes. Wouldn’t that be something? It’s been a while since I’ve gone full psycho..

When it’s Super Bowl Sunday, but all you can think about is the NFC Championship Game: pic.twitter.com/Pwzh7yi1o3

— Johnny Minnesota (@TheJohnnyMN) February 4, 2018

As you can tell, I don’t have near the soft spot that Tom Thibodeau does for the 2010-11 NBA MVP. However, I’m by no means a Derrick Rose hater. I want him to find himself a PG job somewhere, doing something. I’d just prefer that workspace be outside of the Wolves’ organization.

What about Jeff Teague?

Let’s say it were earlier in the week, and we knew Rose would be on waivers, I would have been all for entertaining offers to ship out Jeff Teague. If you could have gotten value for our current starting PG, the thought of Jones running the show with Rose backing him up sits fine with me.

With the deadline now passed, it appears that the man brought in to be Ricky Rubio’s replacement will remain as the teams starter for the rest of the season. That’s that.

In the event MN let go of Aaron Brooks, signing Rose would mean not one, not two, but three PG’s. All of which, unlike Brooks, would expect minutes. That’s too many mouths to feed. The way I see it, Tyus Jones should already be getting larger servings. If the Minnesota native loses proverbial calories to the former Chicago Bull, to put it nicely, it won’t bode well with the fans.

Speaking of former Chicago Bulls, Jimmy Butler spent time as Rose’s teammate in the Windy City. I wonder what he thinks about all of this? Well, what do you know…  look what I found from 2015:

Johnny Minnesota @TheJohnnyMN
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com

It’s 2018. In today’s day and age, nobody has time for running backs who can’t catch or point guards who can’t shoot. With all due respect to Adrian Peterson and Ricky Rubio, Minnesota has moved on to more well-rounded replacements. In the case of the Vikings, as it should be, Dalvin Cook is considered the future at the RB position, even after a torn ACL sidelined him for most of 2017..

In regards to the long-term replacement for Ricky Rubio, that situation isn’t as cut and dry. As laid out in our most recent article, by almost all statistical accounts, signing Jeff Teague to replace the Spaniard has been an upgrade at the PG position. However, unlike Dalvin Cook with the Vikings, who is that up-and-coming talent, the 29 year-old Teague has an underrated, and seemingly always  improving, youngster vying for his minutes.

Enter Minnesota native, Tyus Jones. The Apple Valley High School alum, who’s currently serving as Teague’s backup, is in his 3rd season. All Land of 10K Lakes bias aside — after the Wolves ride out Teague the remainder of this year, using his playoff experience to push Minnesota to playoff heights not seen since the early-2000’s, Jones needs to be considered the starting PG of the team he grew up watching, as he heads into his 4th NBA campaign. He will be at the spry age of 22, come that time. Yup… 22.

The NBA trade deadline (February 8th) is coming in hotter than the Timberwolves during home games. Jeff Teague is under contract through the 2019-20 season. Meaning, there is no concern of him walking in this summer’s free agency. So, a trade can wait. Remember, Minnesota hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2004. Tyus is still inexperienced, and look, Thibs loves Aaron Brooks but he doesn’t want him anywhere near the hardwood come April and May basketball. It’s not the time for the Duke Alum’s promotion. Not yet.

As soon as this season ceases, all bets are off. The Wolves front office needs to throw on their Wolf of Wall Street personas and hit the f*cken phones. Regardless of what type of Teague-involved business transaction they may or may not be able to pull off, the path needs to be cleared for Tyus Jones.

Why?

Teague (14.77) and Jones’ (14.08) have very comparable PERs this season. Considering how much the Minnesota product has progressed in 2017-18, and the fact the former Hawk will turn 30 in June, indicates a Tyus trend that will likely surpass Teague within the next couple of seasons. On top of that, offensively and defensively, Jones makes his teammates better.

As of last week, per NBA columnist, Shane Young, the Wolves’ main starting lineup (Teague, Butler, Wiggins, Gibson, Towns) had played 832 minutes together this season. During that nearly 14 hours of game time, that group came in with an Offensive Rating of 111.3 and a Defensive Rating of 103.4. When you take the difference between those two numbers, you calculate their respectable Net Rating of +7.9.

Unfortunately for Teague, for the 249 minutes of game time Jones has replaced him to play alongside the other starting-four, the hybrid lineup has had the best Net Rating out of ALL OTHER GROUPS of five in the NBA.

Best lineups by Net Rating, out of all 5-man lineups to play 200+ minutes this season

(had to fix the Mavs’ numbers) pic.twitter.com/rqG350Yo1e

— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) January 23, 2018

Part of me just wanted to insert some sort of mic-drop style GIF right here and call this article a day. I don’t know about you, but that shit blows my mind. Let’s go!

However (Stephen A. Smith voice), before somebody chimes in with the “Teague is the starter. Thus, he plays more vs. the league’s elite PGs,” take, I want to convey that I’m cognizant of that aspect. While that factor does come into play, it’s not significant enough to alter this argument. That is true about every baller that comes up and eventually replaces the older starter. Eventually you take the plunge and winners like Tyus play up to their competition.

Per Young’s Net Rating breakdown, the Wolves’ starting-four are 21.1 POINTS BETTER when on the court with Tyus, rather than Teague… (read that again. 21.1 was NOT a typo). That is only SLIGHTLY less than the 22.8 point difference between the Golden State Warriors’  and Chicago Bulls’ starting lineups, when Zach Levine is NOT playing for the Bulls.

And just in case you still aren’t convinced:

I’m glad I waited:

Johnny Minnesota @TheJohnnyMN
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com

Outside of stepping over a downed opponent, daring someone to shoot is one of the most disrespectful actions that can occur on a basketball court. Watching an NBA or NCAA defender aggressively playing off of his guy, to where it’s almost awkward if a shot doesn’t go up, is must see television.

It’s a sport-lover’s version of the awkward moments created 87 different times in every episode of The Real Housewives of (Name your City). But, instead of violently screaming at the opponent about your upper-class problems, you’re silently screaming at them to shoot the damn ball. Out of all the guards in the NBA, Ricky Rubio sees about 5 more feet between him and his man, than other guard or wing players. Defenders are silently screaming at him ALL THE TIME. Like this… but silently.

On Friday night, at least on their most important defensive possession, the Toronto Raptors adopted this strategy. However, with the Jazz down by one, Rubio’s man bailed HARD to help on the ball. The Spaniard’s teammate hit him for a wide open three. In rare fashion, the former Wolf let it fly from deep.

#TakeNote| Ricky Rubio con el game winner pic.twitter.com/H8xIi0a8WS

— Clutch Time (@ClutchTimeArg) January 27, 2018

Three ball, side pocket. Bang. After stopping Toronto on the other end and converting a couple of FTs, the Jazz won on what was ultimately the GW, by the 6.5 year NBA veteran.

This past summer, somewhat stomped on by the trade to acquire Jimmy Butler, the Timberwolves parted ways with their incumbent ball handler, Rubio, and signed 29 year-old Jeff Teague. The changing of the guard, pun intended, was meant to be an immediate upgrade. Now that this year’s NBA campaign is more than halfway over, the question needs to be asked: Contracts and the draft pick MN acquired aside, for this season, was signing Jeff Teague and trading away Rubio an upgrade at the point guard position?

With Rubio three-point GW’s about as rare as a Nikola Pekovic sighting, it seems like the appropriate time to address that question.

Player Efficiency Rating (PER) is a per-minute rating developed by ESPN. PER “sums up all a player’s positive accomplishments, subtracts the negative accomplishments, and returns a per-minute rating of a player’s performance.” When doing a comparison such as this, that stat alone isn’t a tell all, but it’s the first place my eyes look.

As of Sunday, Jeff Teague (14.78) has a PER 2.64 points higher than Rubio (12.14). Like I said it isn’t a tell all, but it sure tells a hell of a lot. That is especially true in this side-by-side breakdown for the following reasons: Both players are starters, both play the same position, and they are in the same conference, meaning, both face a similar slate of competition.

If you’ve been concerned that the Timberwolves’ downgraded at PG, the above information should assist in putting the majority of your worries to bed. As for any that may remain awake, hopefully these numbers help knock those more resilient f*ckers out.

Jeff Teague 2017-18 Stats:

Ricky Rubio 2017-18 Stats:

Only 4.8 assists per game for Ricky Rubio! Jeff Teague is dusting him in his own bread and butter category.

To be fair, Utah’s outstanding rookie, Donavon Mitchell, has been spending a lot of time on the ball. However, at the same time, Jimmy Butler spends a good amount of time running the show for the Wolves. Despite averaging about 8.5 assists during his Minnesota tenure, Rubio didn’t once play alongside a ball-commanding, All-Star wing. Teague is at almost 7 dimes a game, while Jimmy Buckets is RIGHTFULLY having plenty of opportunities of his own to run the offense.

On top of PER and assists per game, the following five categories are also statistical victories for Teague :

• Points (per game): Teague (13.3), Rubio (11.2)
• FG%: Teague (43.2), Rubio (38.8)
• 3P%: Teague (35.3), Rubio (29.9)
• Offensive rating (per 100 poss.): Teague (107), Rubio (96)
• Defensive rating (per 100 poss.): Teague (111), Rubio (106)

For sanity purposes, it feels good to know that the Wolves’ new PG is currently outperforming the Wolves’ old PG. It’s like our significant other is an upgrade from our ex. That’s the way it should be. Steps forward, not backward.

With that said, despite being glad to see Ricky leave Minnesota, I was happy to see him hit make that shot. Unlike Tyron Lue in Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals, Rubio made the other team pay for the blatant lack of respect.

Johnny Minnesota @TheJohnnyMN
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com