Jimmy Butler Trade Demands Revealed: Heat, Clippers, Rockets, Cavaliers Reportedly Interested

A number of offers have been made to the Minnesota Timberwolves for wantaway star Jimmy Butler, however, the franchise's steep demands and counter-offers are holding up a potential trade.

It was reported last week Butler wanted a trade away from Minnesota, with his preferred destination being the Los Angeles Clippers. More recently, it was revealed the Miami Heat were his new preferred choice.

Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau though, is still trying to persuade Butler to stay and join the team in preseason, with the latter still yet to attend a workout as he waits on Minnesota to honor his trade request.

However, Thibodeau also revealed this week he would consider a trade only if it was a good offer, otherwise he was open to the risk of losing the 30-year-old for nothing when he becomes a free agent next summer.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Minnesota is currently asking for quality veterans, top prospects, future assets and salary-cap relief in exchange for Butler, all of which together is putting off interested teams. The belief is Thibodeau still has no interest in a trade and is making counter-offers he knows would be rejected.

The Heat were one of those teams put off as Wojnarowski reported they were aggressively pursuing a deal for Butler.

"The Miami Heat have been the latest to aggressively pursue a deal for Butler, but Minnesota's counter was a non-starter for Heat president Pat Riley, league sources said," Wojnarowski wrote. "Along with Butler, Miami had been willing to accept [Timberwolves center] Gorgui Diengand the remaining $48 million left on his contract under the right circumstances, sources said."

Other teams interested in Butler are the Clippers, Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers, while the Brooklyn Nets also hold an interest but are yet to engage with the franchise. The Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks are also among the teams that have "gauged the asking price" on Butler. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers were also reported to be interested in Butler but received a counter-offer that included trading Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons, something that is never going to happen in reality.

"One of the things that I've heard from a handful of sources is that — with the Sixers for example — the initial offer that they made, the counter-offer was like, 'We need Ben Simmons in a deal,'" the Ringer's Kevin O'Connor said on "the Bill Simmons Podcast" on Thursday.

While Thibodeau wants to keep Butler at all costs, with reports stating Minnesota owner Glen Taylor wants a deal mandated soon, the next few days will certainly be interesting.

Butler joined the Timberwolves last year and posted an average of 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists. His contribution played a big part in Minnesota winning 47 games during the regular season which helped them qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

He is understood to want a full 5-year, $190 million contract extension with a new team.