Jimmy Butler will not be at the Minnesota Timberwolves' media day Monday and won't be participating at the start of training camp Tuesday, sources confirmed to ESPN.
The Athletic was first to report Saturday that the Timberwolves granted Butler permission to miss the team activities.
Butler has been the focus of a growing disconnect between Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor and the team's front office, led by president of basketball operations and coach Tom Thibodeau.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday that while Thibodeau and the front office have no plans to trade Butler, Taylor has made the All-Star forward available. Taylor told other owners and executives at this week's NBA board of governors meeting that they should contact him if they struggle to make progress in trade talks with general manager Scott Layden, sources told Wojnarowski.
"The owner's trading him," one board of governors attendee told Wojnarowski on Friday. "That was made clear. It's just a matter of when."
Many of those attending the board of governors meetings are convinced that Taylor and top team business officials don't want a prolonged saga with Butler, preferring to move him to a new team sooner than later.
