Jimmy Butler will be suspended by the Miami Heat for the second time in three weeks, a person with knowledge of the decision said Wednesday, a move that raises the possibility that he will be his last for the franchise. The games have already been played.
Butler drew the latest suspension — expected to last two games, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has yet to announce its decision. Didn’t – On missing the Heat’s flight to Milwaukee on Wednesday. The Heat, who had no immediate comment, are scheduled to play the Bucks on Thursday and Brooklyn on Saturday.
The earliest he could play again for the Heat is Monday, at home against Orlando.
And that depends on him still being on the roster, which seems far from guaranteed.
Butler has told the Heat in recent weeks that he wants a trade, a demand he has not made publicly because league rules do not allow players to do so. Any player who makes such a demand faces a fine of up to $150,000.
But the Heat revealed the request after he was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team in early January, and said at the time that they would work to fulfill his trade request.
The NBA trade deadline is February 6.
Butler was banished earlier this month for seven games, with a salary of about $2.4 million. Butler returned last week and has played in each of Miami’s last three games, averaging 13.0 points in 29.3 minutes.
The Heat left for Milwaukee around 2:15 Wednesday afternoon. That departure time precedes Miami’s departure for most of its trips, and it’s unclear if that was a factor for Butler on Wednesday.
Games scheduled on this hat road trip coincide with a paddle tournament in Miami, listing Butler as honorary chairman and co-captain. Butler’s coffee company Big Face is also involved in the event. But it was not known if Butler had planned to be in Miami for the event and if it had anything to do with the missing flight to Milwaukee.
Butler’s supposed breakup with the Heat has been in the works for weeks, if not months. The main issue that led to the rift in the relationship was money. He is eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension and the Heat never offered such a deal, largely because he has missed nearly 25% of the team’s games since arriving in 2019. .
There were other factors. Butler has made it no secret that he’s not happy with what he says is his new role in the Heat’s offense. He hasn’t participated in his usual manner during the Heat starters’ introductions for the past three games, and has occasionally sat alone during timeouts, not joining the huddle around the bench.
“Except for me, everybody said a lot, to tell you the truth,” Butler said after his first game back from suspension. “We’ll let people keep talking. The whole truth will come out.
The latest chapter in the Butler-Hait saga comes a day after Phoenix struck a deal with Utah to acquire three first-round draft picks that the Suns are expected to use as pieces in another trade. – Presumably one that will bring Butler to him. Such a deal for Butler would be complicated for the Suns, and would likely require at least three and possibly more teams to fit all the pieces.
Butler’s trade clock has been ticking for weeks, and for some December games his hair color will match the primary colors of Phoenix, Dallas, Golden State and Houston — the four teams most notably Miami. as potential trading partners.
And for Tuesday’s game against Portland, Butler wore orange shoes — perfectly matching the Suns’ color scheme.
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