Wolves' Butler vows to start scoring more 'right now'

Jimmy Butler has been more passenger than driver in his first nine games with the Minnesota Timberwolves, trying to fit in with his new team rather than take the wheel right off the bat.

It hasn't been an unsuccessful formula - Butler's defense and offensive gravity alone have been huge difference-makers, and the Wolves are 7-2 when he plays - but it's hard not to notice that Jimmy Buckets hasn't lived up to his moniker since arriving in the Twin Cities. He's averaging nine fewer points than he scored for the Bulls last season, getting to the line with less than half the frequency, and using 7 percent less of his team's possessions.

Butler, though, says he'll be bringing a more familiar, scoring-oriented approach to the Wolves, starting immediately.

"Right now, right now," he told reporters Friday, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. "I'm going back to putting the ball in the basket. I like to put the ball in the basket. I think I've gotten really good at it over the years, so we'll see a different player from here on out."

Butler - who averaged career highs in points (23.9), rebounds (6.2), and assists (5.5) en route to his first All-NBA selection last season - will have a chance to put that new mentality on display when the Wolves visit the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night.

"Leadership isn't about scoring points, to tell you the truth. But I do think I have to start scoring the ball a lot more," he said. "I think I've come too far to be as passive as I am right now. I'm always going to pass the ball to the open man, but if I feel like I can get my shots off and think I can make it, I'm going to take each and every one of those."