Butler reiterates trade desire, Heat offered Richardson

Speculation regarding the Miami Heat and a potential trade for Jimmy Butler apparently will not go away. That's because Jimmy Butler apparently still wants to get away.

The Athletic is reporting that the disgruntled Minnesota Timberwolves AllStar has returned to Minneapolis and reiterated his trade desire.

Amid that development, the New York Times, in its basketball newsletter reported that the Heat offered fourthyear swingman Josh Richardson and a protected first-round draft pick as part of a package for Butler.

In the wake of Butler's trade request before the start of training camp three weeks ago, there had been thought that Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau, who also oversees his team's personnel decisions, had been slow-playing the process in hopes of a reconciliation.

Butler, however, has remained away from the team during the preseason, despite training for a period at the Timberwolves facilities and meeting with teammates during a recent Timberwolves road trip.

In addressing the media Tuesday, Thibodeau said of the situation: "It's fluid. We're always going to do what's best for the team. That's the important thing for everyone to understand. And if that means he's here, then he'll be here. And if that means he's not here, then he's not here.

"The one thing about Jimmy is if he's here or if he's somewhere else, once he gets there, or he's here, he's going to give you everything he has. He's a competitor. And so the big thing is we have to focus on what we need to do to win."

According to The Athletic, "The chaotic nature of the talks in general have resulted in the market cooling for the moment. That can all change with one phone call, but the Timberwolves are moving forward as if there will be no deal before the start of the season. Thibodeau has started reaching out to players on the team to prepare them for the prospects of a deal taking place during the season, not before."

The Heat have stood as reported front-runners throughout the process, although the open discussion of proposed Heat trade pieces leaked elsewhere stands in the face of the team's preference for privacy in such matters.