LeBron James, Kevin Love and the Cleveland Cavaliers are in town for tonight's only visit of the season, an occasion to look back at what might have been.
The Cavaliers pursued a trade to acquire Butler from Chicago before last June's draft, but a deal never materialized after the Cavs abruptly parted ways with GM David Griffin.
In July, the Cavaliers courted veteran free agent Jamal Crawford after the Clippers trade him to Atlanta and Crawford worked a buyout with the Hawks.
Crawford signed a two-year, $8.9 million deal with the Wolves instead.
As he often does, Butler blamed a bad memory when asked if he ever thought he was headed to Cleveland.
"I don't know," he said. "I can't even remember what I had for lunch yesterday, let alone last summer."
Crawford officially signed with the Wolves July 19, but said after this morning's shoot that things might have been different if the Cavaliers had acquired close friend and mentee Isaiah Thomas then rather than a August trade with Boston.
"Yeah, it would have," Crawford said. "We're past friends or basketball relationship. That's like my brother. We go on vacation, its his family and my family. I was a groomsman at his wedding. We're past the basketball phase. That would have had to change things."
