T-Wolves owner has regrets over trading for Butler in 2017

After dealing star Jimmy Butler to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday following months of drama, Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor is expressing regret over the 2017 trade that helped end the team's 14-year playoff drought.

"I just never anticipated that this would play out like that," Taylor said, according to St. Paul Pioneer Press' Jace Frederick. "To me, I thought we were helpful to him because he said he wanted to get out of Chicago ... We certainly gave Chicago some really good young players. (Butler) came here with expectations that he would help lead the team, not only with scoring, but with his experience that he would share with our young guys, and we got behind that."

Minnesota gave up a trio of youngsters in Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, and Lauri Markkanen for Butler in the deal with Chicago, only for the star wing to unexpectedly demanded a trade in September after leading the Timberwolves to the playoffs during his first season in the Twin Cities.

Taylor, for his part, is happy to be able to put the turmoil that surrounded the team behind him.

"It consumed too much of my time on things that were negative," he said.

The Timberwolves received Dario Saric, Robert Covington, Jerryd Bayless, and a second-round pick in exchange for Butler and Justin Patton.

The addition of two starting-caliber forwards in Saric and Covington should provide floor spacing for Karl-Anthony Towns and a fresh start for the franchise as it aims for a second postseason berth in as many years.

"That's why when that possibility worked out that I thought that was better than some of the other ones that might have included a (draft) pick or something like that," Taylor said. "Of course, we love picks, but I thought that we ... better bring a group together and these two guys seem to fit in."

The Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans 107-100 on Wednesday to improve to 6-9 and are 2-0 since the trade.