Miami Heat suspend wantaway star Jimmy Butler indefinitely as he desperately pushes for a trade
In the latest twist in the standoff between the Miami Heat and their star forward Jimmy Butler, the team has decided to take a drastic move.
Butler has been indefinitely suspended from the team effective immediately, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The 35-year-old Butler has been unhappy in his current situation with the team and has demanded a trade – but nothing has developed to see him move on from Miami.
Apparently, things came to a head this morning when Butler was informed in the team’s shootaround that he would not be starting against the Orlando Magic on Monday night – with Haywood Highsmith set to start in his place.
Incensed, Butler walked out of the shootaround after hearing this news and did not return.
It’s just yet another move in this bizarre game of chess that has developed between Butler and the Heat, including team president Pat Riley.
Wantaway Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler has been indefinitely suspended after walking out of a morning shootaround when he was informed that he would not be starting going forward
It’s the latest move in this chess match between Butler and Miami leadership, like Pat Riley
So far this season, Butler has averaged 17 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game
Throughout the season, Butler has expressed his desire to secure a move away from the Heat – who he’s played with since 2019.
Butler has even gone so far as to say that he’s lost the joy in playing basketball in the city – something he believes he’ll never get back while taking the court for the Heat.
After initially rejecting Butler’s demands for a trade, the Heat eventually relented and said they would listen to offers for the six-time NBA All-Star.
But in the aftermath of the comments he made in early January, the team suspended him for seven games. Butler was suspended again just a few days ago for a brief period of just two after missing a team flight. Butler has missed nine of the Heat’s past 12 contests.
Reports indicate that Butler would be willing to go to nearly any team in the NBA – except for the Memphis Grizzlies – in order to make a trade as easy to accomplish as possible. The NBA trade deadline is on February 6.
With the Heat, Butler has reached the NBA Finals twice – losing in 2020 to the Los Angeles Lakers and then again in 2023 to the Denver Nuggets.
This season, Butler has averaged 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
