Butler has been angling for a trade – but a deal is yet to materialise.
George, however, says he’s backing the player.
“Jimmy has a very valid point,” he said.
“I’m on Jimmy’s side.
“It’s not coming from a place where he’s going against an organisation.”
The Miami Heat have been heavily linked with Butler but a move still hasn’t been rubber stamped.
With the new NBA season looming Butler has played no part in pre-season.
But he returned to training earlier this week and made his presence known.
ESPN say Butler was ‘vociferous and intense’ during scrimmage sessions and targeted Timberwolves president of basketball operations and coach Tom Thibodeau, general manager Scott Layden and team-mates, including Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
The report says Butler told Layden at one point: “You f***ing need me, Scott.
“You can’t win without me.”
Speaking after the incident, Butler has admitted losing his cool.
“I can’t remember exactly,” he replied when asked about what was said. “But I was seeing red.
“Whatever colour was in front of my eyes, I was – it was emotion, it was passion.
“That’s what it was. And to tell you the truth, this is the truth.
“I didn’t go at those two. One of them came at me. One of ’em came at me and I just…”
t’s been claimed Towns received the brunt of Butler’s wrath.
Butler, who joined the Timberwolves in 2017, has confirmed that’s the case.
“KAT [Karl-Anthony Towns]. KAT came at me,” Butler added.
“We’re up in practice and he said, ‘Anybody can get this work!’ I said, ‘Do it to me.’ That’s all that I said.
“I said, ‘Every time I get switched out onto you, you pass it.’
“I’m a competitor, I’m in here talking, come at me. If you score on me, I’m gonna tap you on your butt. You got the best of me – but you got to do it every time.
“Am I being tough on him? Yeah! Yeah, that’s who I am. I’m not the most talented player.
“Who’s the most talented player on our team? KAT. Who’s the most god-gifted player on our team? Wigs. Wigs got the longest arms, the biggest hands, can jump the highest, can run the fastest.
“But like who plays the hardest?
“Me. I play hard. I play really hard.
“I put my body on the line every damn practice.
“Every day in the games.
“That’s my passion. That’s how I give to the game. That’s how I give to you guys.
“And right now I know Thibs and he’s in there by himself, he locked his door and he’s smiling and he’s laughing. [Looks at camera] Thibs, I know you man, I know you. He’s like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got him back.’”