New Derrick Rose book sheds light on Butler, Wolves' woes

It is said that history is written by the victors. In the case of the 2018-19 Timberwolves, Derrick Rose might be as close to a victor as possible.

And in a new book titled "I'll Show You" — due out in September — Rose writes, with the help of veteran Chicago sportswriter Sam Smith, his own history and biography.

It's a long story filled with twists and turns, including plenty of insights into last year with the Wolves from Rose — a free agent heading into the upcoming season after averaging 18 points on 48.2 percent shooting in 51 games last season.

None of it is exactly shocking if you listened to Rose speak openly and honestly throughout last season, but here are some of the more telling moments from the section about the Wolves, per an advance proof sent to the Star Tribune:

*On arriving with the Wolves and then-coach Tom Thibodeau late in their 2017-18 playoff season after being bought out by Utah following a trade from Cleveland, Rose writes: "With Minnesota, Thibs was honest. Even when he didn't play me when I first got there, he was just telling me, 'They have certain people here, they feel like they need to play certain people.' He was just telling me to stick with him. I stuck with him and he looked out for me. That's one of the reasons I stuck with him and wanted to come back."

*On Jimmy Butler and his trade request — plus the resulting chaos that ensued — Rose said he and Butler talked quite a bit about what was happening. Rose said he counseled Butler "not to lose your leverage" while he also tried to become a veteran leader to hold the Wolves together during that process.

"Look, it wasn't his fault," Rose wrote of Butler's situation and trade request. "It's the league's fault. Nothing against Karl-Anthony Towns, he's cool — and he's good. But you get these kids and you spoil them before they achieve something."

One page later, Rose adds: "Jimmy was feeling, 'Why'd y'all pay them first and I was the one that got you to the playoffs?' That's all it was. Jimmy wasn't doing it right, though he was right."

*Regarding the infamous practice in which Butler returned to the Wolves with an expletive-laced flourish and took on more established rotation players with lesser-used players, Rose writes: "Scored one time in that practice they were all writing about. Yes, one basket. Right hand up to God. What's so exciting about that? But the media is going crazy. You would think he scored 30. … It was killing Thibs, I tell you. He wasn't saying anything to us, but you could tell he was taking it hard."

*Rose reiterates his brand of tough-love mentoring of younger players, writing: "I want to play a few more years. It's crazy to think I'm already at 10 years with everything that's happened — way more than most guys get to play. I've been blessed. It feels right again. If the biggest problem in Minnesota is dealing with kids, I'm cool with that. That's something that's fixable," he writes, before adds in more colorful language that they just need to grow up and that he'll call them out when they get out of line.

Obviously there is way more to Rose's story. Most of the parts about Minnesota are contained to about 15 pages near the end of a 200-plus page book.

In combination with a documentary released in April, the book reveals a player eager to tell his story as Rose, 30, moves into the later stages of his career.