Nonchalance
Feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying interest or enthusiasm. That’s what Jimmy Butler feels his teammates are like, according to a recent report by Chicago Sun-Times journalist Joe Cowley. It’s not the first time Butler has voiced his discontent over the dedication and overall approach of some of the Timberwolves he shares a basketball court with in Minnesota.
Jimmy Butler fed up
Part of the reason why head coach Tom Thibodeau brought Butler to Minnesota was because he was hoping the veteran, who’s a “gym freak”, will talk some sense into Andrew Wiggins and help him progress as a player. However, Butler didn’t have the expected effect on Wiggins and criticized the former No.1 overall pick for lack of effort. Now, Karl-Anthony Towns is the one who has been blamed for laziness and nonchalant behaviour. Cowley quoted Butler as saying he’s:
“all but fed up with the nonchalant attitude of his younger Wolves teammates, specifically Karl-Anthony Towns.”
Both Wiggins and Towns are phenomenal athletes, but being physically gifted does not equal success. Despite brimming with young talent, the T’Wolves barely made the playoffs last season, where they were whooped by the Houston Rockets.
What’s next for Jimmy Butler?
Jimmy Butler’s comments make sense. He’s at a point in his career where he can’t afford to wait for the youngsters to wake up and grow up. He’s a supremely talented player seeking an NBA title. There’s one more player like him currently recuperating from knee surgery in Boston. His name is Kyrie Irving. Both players’ contracts expire after this season, so it’s completely plausible they join forces and create the latest NBA super team, regardless of whether that’s in Boston or somewhere else.