Tom Thibodeau got his man in Thursday night's NBA draft, swinging a seismic trade that brings All-Star Jimmy Butler from Chicago to the Timberwolves and will send former first-rounders Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Thursday's seventh overall pick, Arizona center Lauri Markkanen, to the Bulls.
The Wolves also receive Chicago's 16th overall pick, Creighton forward Justin Patton, who was the Big East freshman of the year.
It's the first trade made by Thibodeau, the Timberwolves coach/president of basketball operations, and general manager Scott Layden in their 14 months on the job, but they didn't mess around when they made one.
Thibodeau coached Butler for his first four seasons in Chicago and will do so again after two seasons away from each other.
He is getting back a three-time All Star and a physical perimeter defender who turns 28 in September.
Given the NBA's current economics, Butler is signed to a relative bargain contract that pays him $18.7 million this coming season, $19.8 million in 2018-19 and he has a $19.8 million player option in 2019-20.
Butler will go into the starting lineup alongside young stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
The Wolves drafted LaVine 13th overall in 2014 and Dunn fifth overall in 2016. LaVine could have negotiated a rich contract extension before the season opener in October.
The Wolves took Arizona's 7-foot shooter Markkanen with the seventh pick for the Bulls.
Butler was a member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team, which won gold in Rio. He was voted the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2014-15.
Thibodeau coached Butler in Chicago from 2011-15, developing Butler from a rookie who averaged 2.6 points per game to a shutdown defender who improved his scoring average every season and became a three-time member of the NBA's All-Defensive Team.
LaVine suffered a season-ending knee injury last season, but is a two-time NBA dunk champion. Dunn played a reserve role for the most part last season with Ricky Rubio starting at point guard.
Patton averaged 12.9 points as a redshirt freshman for the Bluejays.
