Jimmy Butler has drawn his line in the sand amid the Minnesota Timberwolves’ internal battles and taken his situation into his own hands. From Chicago to Minnesota, Butler brought with him an edge, an unrelenting push, and he’s had an ally in Tom Thibodeau, an equally hard-charging coach. They helped carry the Timberwolves to the team’s first postseason in 14 years, helped bring a winning culture — until it began to crater among contractual issues and personalities.



After weeks of seriously contemplating his future in Minnesota, Butler requested a trade from the Timberwolves and informed Thibodeau of his decision on Tuesday in a meeting in Los Angeles, league sources told The Athletic. Players within the locker room first began to hear whispers of Butler’s plans last week, according to sources. Butler has given the Timberwolves a list of teams that could interest him. The Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers are expected as...