Jimmy Butler‘s agent, Bernie Lee, argues that it’s not his client’s responsibility to recruit free agents to Minnesota this summer.
The Timberwolves, if anything, are “recruiting Jimmy” according to Lee.
Jimmy Butler the recruiter? Timberwolves should be recruiting Butler, agent Bernie Lee says
Also featuring comments from Lee on Butler's January knee injury and the perception of this Timberwolves' season https://t.co/eC2s1oR0NR via @pioneerpress
— jace frederick (@JaceFrederick) April 24, 2018
The T-Wolves’ season came to an end Wednesday night with a 122-108 loss to the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of their first-round series.
Butler’s aching right knee limited his effectiveness in the playoffs, and team owner Glen Taylor says he’s counting on the 28-year-old’s offseason recruiting charm.
Per the Pioneer Press (via WCCO):
“That’s not Jimmy’s role,” Lee said when asked about Taylor’s comment. “I don’t think that’s something Jimmy should be responsible for. Jimmy should be responsible for trying to become the best player he possibly can and trying to help this organization win as many games as possible.”
The organization, Lee said, should be responsible for building a championship-level structure around Butler, who he called “a top five to 10 NBA player right now.” […] Remember, Butler has just one year remaining on his contract after this season.
“In terms of the recruiting aspect of it, in a way, the organization is recruiting Jimmy,” Lee said. “Jimmy is coming up to a window here where he has to decide where the next window of his career is going to take place and those things like that, so along with thinking about him in a perspective of him adding other pieces, the organization also has to be mindful of what they should be responsible for. And something they should be thinking about now is retaining the pieces that they do have.”
