How is a team supposed to react when one of their star players is asking to leave? Are they supposed to just lose one of their greatest assets, or put up a fight to stop their player from leaving and find a compromise?

Particularly in the NBA’s past two seasons, there have been superstars asking to be traded by their franchise. Some examples are Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler.

While teams have the power to trade players at the whim of their choosing, it is too often that the players are not informed of what the organizations are planning to do with their futures and playing rights. For example, only six months after Blake Griffin signed a five-year deal with the LA Clippers, and being called a “lifelong Clipper” by the organization, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons. It is rumored that Griffin was blindsided with the trade and initially found out about it on his twitter feed. Within days of the trade the All-Star had started in his first game as a Piston.

In the recent years there is has been a push from the NBA Players Association have more control over their rights and power from the owners. It is typically looked down upon for players to ask for a trade from their teams, however there is not much backlash upon teams to blindside their players. Trades heavily effect players as they must to uproot their homes and lives and move to new cities at the whim of their organization. This can be especially difficult when the players have families and children that are also affected by the moves. By having trade requests be more widely accepted, it would allow for players to have a stronger voice in which city they live in, and the organization that they work for and are associated with. These requests are how the players are taking control over their careers and make decisions for themselves.

The recent issue with Jimmy Butler has made many headlines, as it was one of the most dramatic trade requests in the NBA. After his request was initially denied, it is rumored that Butler took the third string players and himself to play a scrimmage against the starters for the Timberwolves, including both Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, and won. He did this to prove to his General Manager of his importance to the team. In his own words, Butler told the GM, “You f—ing need me, Scott. You can’t win without me.” Butler has spoken about how the younger players did not have a winning mentality and were not as focused as himself which caused tension. While the head coach and other officers of the team did not want to lose Jimmy, the owner of the Wolves said that he wanted Jimmy gone from the organization after the problematic behavior.

Weeks later, Butler was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers and is set to start in his debut as a 76er tonight against the Magic.

 

Below is the interview that Butler did with ESPN following the dramatic practice in Minnesota.