You really can’t make this stuff up. Every time you think the Wolves cannot top themselves in this terribly dysfunctional and embarrassing Jimmy Butler Trade Saga, well, refresh that Twitter timeline! There’s a good chance even more gasoline is being poured on top of this historic dumpster fire start to the 2018-19 season. Today’s juicy news: Jimmy Butler called a players-only meeting to air grievances. This, of course, comes after his pre-planned tirade at practice yesterday which was followed by an exclusive and extremely orchestrated interview with ESPN where he challenged Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, and the entire organization. Well that’s not it, folks. Don’t be silly now. We’ve Only Just Begun. About that players-only meeting that happened today... Jeff Teague has tweeted once in the past year but with all of the chaos surrounding the team he took to social media to dispute the report. Yes, the same guy that repeatedly told the media about how he quit dunking last season, only to throw down nine dunks during his first year in Minnesota, shows up to break his word again. THE CROWD GOES WILD AS TEAGUE POSTERIZES THE REPORT! @ShamsCharania it wasn’t no players meeting you just made that up bro y’all gotta relax with this fake news — Jeff Teague (@Teague0) October 11, 2018 Teague throws another jam down with authority. Former point guard, and now assistant coach with the Wolves, John Lucas, followed up with an assist. @ShamsCharania what meeting did you hear about — John Lucas III (@Luke1luk) October 11, 2018 Who knows what will happen next. Maybe owner Glen Taylor will come out of hiding and finally do something about this entire fiasco. Stay tuned. The next episode of It’s Always Gloomy In Wolvesdom should be airing shortly.<doc-sep>Everything about Jimmy Butler’s return to the Minnesota Timberwolves has been crazy. The disgruntled All-Star showed up to Wednesday’s practice, berated everyone and humiliated the starters. He then went on to hold a pre-arranged sit-down interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. It was NBA offseason theatre at its best. On Thursday, the drama continued. This time, we finally heard from one of those reportedly humiliated starters: Jeff Teague. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Butler held a players-only meeting where he expressed his issues about the management and repeated to the team that he’s running the show. The Timberwolves had canceled Thursday’s practice after Wednesday’s heated scene. Sources on @TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium: Several players spoke up in players-only meeting, but Butler led it, made known his issues with management. His message was similar to one he displayed Wednesday: I run this. He's far too competitive to sit real games. https://t.co/Cwo8OCFY8m — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 11, 2018 That was apparently news to Teague because he tweeted at Charania to call the report “fake news.” This was only Teague’s second tweet since July of last year. To make matters even more weird, Butler personally confirmed that the players-only meeting happened to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. Jimmy Butler confirmed to @Rachel__Nichols that he held a players-only meeting with Timberwolves players on Thursday, a day after he reported to the team for his first practice. pic.twitter.com/I90SyC1LdL — NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 11, 2018 So, it’s pretty clear that someone isn’t telling the truth here. Either Butler is making up the meeting or Teague is lying about the meeting not taking place. Butler did say Wednesday that he wanted honesty from the Timberwolves, and they’re clearly off to a great start…<doc-sep>David Sherman/Getty Images Jimmy Butler spoke with Minnesota Timberwolves teammates following his outburst during practice Wednesday. Per The Athletic's Shams Charania, Butler led a players-only meeting Thursday in which he told teammates he "would compete with them" and made known his issues with Timberwolves management. Charania added Butler's main message was to let Minnesota players know he is going to be the one leading the group. Butler later confirmed the meeting happened to ESPN's Rachel Nichols. However, Timberwolves guard Jeff Teague denied the meeting took place, calling it "fake news." Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype.com noted more members of the Timberwolves organization denied the meeting took place. ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the four-time All-Star was "vociferous and intense" throughout his first practice Wednesday. He targeted head coach Tom Thibodeau, general manager Scott Layden and Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and other teammates. "You f--king need me, Scott. You can't win without me," Butler yelled at Layden, per Wojnarowski. In an interview later Wednesday with Nichols, Butler explained his actions on the practice floor: Video Play Button Videos you might like "A lot of it is true, but you got to think, I haven't played basketball in so long and I'm so passionate and I love the game and I don't do it for any other reason except to compete and to go up against the best to try and prove I can hang. So all my emotion came out at one time. Was it the right way to do it? No. But I can't control that when I'm out there competing. That's my love of the game, that's raw me. Me at my finest, me at my purest. That's what you're going to get inside the lines." The Timberwolves have explored trade possibilities for Butler, including a near-deal with the Miami Heat that Wojnarowski reported fell apart last weekend. Charania noted indications right now are that Butler will begin the 2018-19 season in Minnesota and doesn't intend to sit out because "he's far too competitive to sit real games." The T-Wolves will tip off the 2018-19 regular season Oct. 17 against the San Antonio Spurs.<doc-sep>
Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Jeff Teague is denying a report by The Athletic's Shams Charania that Jimmy Butler held a players-only meeting today. According to Charania, Butler expressed to his teammates during the meeting that he would compete with them, as it becomes increasingly likely that he'll be with the team at least to start the regular season. Charania also reported that several players spoke up during the meeting but Butler led it, making it known that his issues are with management. Shortly after Charania tweeted out those details, Teague responded, "it wasn’t no players meeting you just made that up bro y’all gotta relax with this fake news." Minnesota's player development coach John Lucas also questioned Charania's report. However, Butler had already confirmed to ESPN's Rachel Nichols that the meeting did, in fact, occur on Thursday. During Wednesday's practice, Butler reportedly "left teammates and coaches largely speechless" as he dominated the gym in every way. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, sources say Butler "verbally challenged" several teammates, coaches and members of the front office, and was "vociferous and emotional at times," as he targeted head coach Tom Thibodeau, general manager Scott Layden, Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. Woj writes: "Butler participated in multiple intrasquad scrimmages, where he joined the bench units against the starters and went out of his way to challenge the team's two young stars, Towns and Wiggins, league sources said. Coaches and players were largely speechless at Butler's tour de force throughout the workout, league sources said."