GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - The Minnesota Timberwolves took a major gamble on draft night last June, when they traded Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the No. 7 overall pick (Laurie Markkanen) to the Chicago Bulls for three-time all-star Jimmy Butler and the 16th overall pick (Justin Patton).
These sorts of blockbuster trades are evaluated both immediately and continuously ever after by each team’s fan base, with jobs and reputations either enhanced or damaged, sometimes irreparably, by how the deal is generally perceived to have played-out, and, this one is by no means ready for a final evaluation.
At the time of this writing, almost 10 months removed from that transaction, I’m going to weigh in and say, that no matter what transpires over the next 72 hours, meaning, whether or not the Timberwolves make the playoffs, I would make that trade again.
Granted, we still don’t know what kind of ballplayers LaVine, Dunn or Markkanen will turn out to be, and we only got our first glimpse of Patton this past week (major project), but by now I think we have a pretty good measure of who Jimmy Butler is, and I’m all in.
If you just want to go by the numbers the case for Butler is solid. This season Butler has averaged more than 22-points, just under 5 1/2 rebounds, and just under 5 assists, per game. More evidence was provided of Butler’s value in the last month when the Wolves went 8-9 while “Jimmy Buckets” was recovering from a torn knee meniscus, but my reasons for liking Butler go well beyond his on court statistics.
Since his arrival Jimmy Butler has been pretty much an open book. Here’s a guy who’s not afraid to take a shot with a game on the line, but, he’s also not afraid to stand up, look you in the eye, and tell you why he took that shot, once the game is over.
Let’s face it, whether or not the Wolves win their last two games and make the playoffs there doesn’t seem to be much of an appetite in this town for Head Coach Tom Thibodeau. Almost exactly two years after Thibs was hired, his game management and use of his bench remain a mystery. Billed as a defensive specialist, Thibodeau has failed to get his team to improve or even buy-in on the defensive end. Yet, none of that stopped Butler from standing up and defending his embattled head coach last week.
"We've got to have that will to want to guard," Butler said. "To tell you the truth, we haven't done it all year. We've had stretches where it's looked solid, then you go back to what you've been seeing. All in all, we've just got to want to play defense." Thibodeau, Butler said, "Don't got too much to do with that."
Butler went on to say that no coach in the world can make a player want it, then, he went even further by calling out his teammates not his head coach, saying, "We do have guys around the league where that's them," Butler said. "Are they going to play hard? Probably not. But they're in this league for a reason. Everybody is talented, don't get me wrong, but what separates the really good players from the great ones is how you bring it every single day in the game and practice. You've got to go at everything 100 percent."
And there it is, a “truth bomb” launched from well beyond the 3-point line. Ten months after the trade for Jimmy Butler and to me he has delivered since day one, both on and off the court. Butler has played like the NBA All-Star that he is, and he appears to have earned the respect of teammates and opponents alike. He has allowed and even encouraged Karl Anthony Towns to grow into an All-Star caliber player, and appears to be doing whatever he can to help Andrew Wiggins and the other young players on the team grow as well.
Only time will tell what kind of NBA basketball players Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Laurie Markkansen will turn out to be, but we already know what kind of a player Jimmy Butler is, and the last month has only served to confirm that Butler is that rarest of all commodities, a true leader who appears to be 100 percent authentic. Oh, and yes, he can also play basketball, including defense, at an elite level.
Who knows how this trade will look in 10 months or even 10 years, but would I make that trade again, today? Absolutely.
Fowler’s Day is Coming. I Hope.
Another golf major has come and gone, and Rickie Fowler is once again the bridesmaid and not the bride.
Fowler, who finished in the top five in all four majors in 2014, placed second in this year’s Masters Tournament at 14-under par, good enough for second place, one-stroke behind first-time winner and Ryder Cup teammate, Patrick Reed.
"There's been a few majors where obviously I've played well enough where that score (14-under) would have held up at another point or if there wasn't another guy, but that's golf," said Fowler.
Rickie would know. That makes 31 majors without a victory for Fowler, who now has a top three finish in every major tournament, to go along with seven top five finishes, and eight in the top 10.
Said Rickie, "You have to beat everyone, and it's been fun to have the good performances in majors, especially in 2014, when we finished top five in all four. Maybe this is a year where maybe we get all top fives again, but it'd be nice to throw one trophy in there as well."
Here’s why I’m hoping he does. Each year the Masters Tournament begins with the ceremonial first tee shot by golf legends and former Masters Champions Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus. Arnold Palmer was a part of that group until his passing in 2016, and each year the one pro who is there at the crack of dawn witness that ceremony and to pay his respects is Rickie Fowler.
Every time Fowler has had his heart broken, and as documented earlier, Fowler has had his heart ripped-out and stomped-on quite a bit, Rickie is always the one guy standing outside the scoring tent, waiting to congratulate the winner. Every time.
Fowler used to be best known for his “flashy” outfits, featuring an oversize cap with the bill tilted to the side. Now, Rickie’s best known for coming close but not being able to close the deal. I’d like to see him recognized for his unwavering commitment to class and good sportsmanship, but more than that, I’d really like to see him win a major.
Peters Receives Hockey Humanitarian Award
As most of you are well aware, when a goaltender stops a ball or a puck, they are said to have made a “save”. Well, University of Minnesota Women’s Hockey goaltender Sidney Peters has been making saves her whole life, something she plans to continue after graduating this spring, not in ice hockey, but rather in the game of life.
Peters was named the 2018 Hockey Humanitarian Award recipient Friday afternoon as part of the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four weekend.
The Hockey Humanitarian Award is awarded annually to college hockey’s finest citizen and seeks to recognize college hockey players, from all divisions, male or female, who give back to their community in the true humanitarian spirit. The award seeks not to simply celebrate Hall of Fame athletes, but rather Hall of Fame human beings.
A senior from Geneva, Illinois, Peters’ contributions on the ice and in the classroom are only topped by her impact in the community over the past five years. Peters has logged over 830 volunteer hours with various community outreach volunteer activities as a Gopher. A certified Emergency Medical Technician, Peters has spent significant time volunteering with the University of Minnesota EMS and the Rush-Copley Emergency Department in Aurora, Ill., near her hometown of Geneva, Ill.
"Receiving the Hockey Humanitarian Award is a huge honor," Peters said. "It places me in a category with past nominees and award winners who are just phenomenal people who have made a huge difference in their communities; most importantly, inspiring people around them to think and serve differently. I’m really proud to be associated with this award and really thankful to be associated with the other finalists.
"I got into volunteering as a freshman with the University of Minnesota Maroon & Gold Impacting the Community (M.A.G.I.C.), which is a student-athlete development program. They give us many opportunities to get out in the community, to volunteer with local schools and hospitals. That was my first step into volunteering, and it gave me the opportunity to meet people and build a community. That’s when I fell in love with service and began pursuing other opportunities, mostly as an EMT because medicine is my passion."
Peters traveled to Haiti during the summer of 2016 with Project Medishare, which is dedicated to improving the health and quality of life of all Haitians by empowering them to provide and receive access to comprehensive, quality health care. She spent eight days in Haiti volunteering at Hospital Bernard Mevs, the country’s only critical care and trauma hospital, as well as the only newborn and pediatric intensive care unit.
Combining her love of hockey with her faith, Peters volunteered as the head goalie coach for Hockey Ministries International at the organization's camp in Chicago for two years as well. Her volunteer experience during her Gopher career includes significant time giving back locally with HopeKids, Special Olympics Minnesota, and University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital, along with efforts at local elementary and middle schools and youth hockey associations.
A fifth-year senior, Peters is a four-year letter winner for the University of Minnesota. A two-time NCAA national champion team member, Peters appeared in 82 games with a career record of 53-17-6. After seeing limited playing time her first two seasons in uniform, Peters backstopped the Gophers to an NCAA Frozen Four berth last season. Her 53 wins, 16 shutouts, 1.65 goals against average, and 1,464 total saves all rank fifth among all-time Gopher goaltenders. Peters ranks sixth in program history with a .921 career save percentage.
The award was presented as part of a broader celebration of the Frozen Four and college hockey, which included the presentation of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. The Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation also presented Peters with a check for $2,500 during the ceremony, which will be donated to her designated charity, Project Medishare. All five HHA finalists received $500 for their respective designated charities. These donations from the HHA Foundation are possible through the generous support of the award’s partners and donors.
A four-time WCHA Scholar-Athlete, WCHA All-Academic, and Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Peters will graduate with a degree in kinesiology with a minor in biology with plans to attend medical school.