Timberwolves Jimmy Butler Featured On SI Cover

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The Minnesota Timberwolves have been featured nationally in the offseason after making a splash on NBA Draft night to acquire Jimmy Butler.

Butler is featured on the cover of this week's issue of Sports Illustrated. It features an NBA preview and hits newsstands on Thursday.

The Timberwolves hope 2017-18 is the turnaround season for the franchise. They haven't been to the playoffs since 2003-04, and the hope is acquiring Butler, one of the best two-way players in the NBA, is one stop in the process of getting back to the playoffs.

The Timberwolves open the regular season Wednesday night at San Antonio. The move to acquire Butler was just one of several the Timberwolves made. They also signed point guard Jeff Teague in free agency, parted ways with Ricky Rubio, singed Taj Gibson in free agency, drafted Justin Patton as part of the Rubio trade and re-signed Shabazz Muhammad.

The Timberwolves are also working on re-signing Andrew Wiggins to a maximum contract.