The Miami Heat are suspending Jimmy Butler for two games after he missed a team flight for a road trip, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.
Butler missed a Wednesday flight as the Heat traveled to Milwaukee for a Thursday game against the Bucks that will be nationally televised on TNT, according to the report. Per the report, Butler intended to join the team for the game, but instead will be suspended for the road trip that also includes a Saturday game against the Brooklyn Nets.
The suspension is the second of the season for Butler, who’s been embroiled in turmoil amid reports that he’s demanded a trade out of Miami. The Heat previously suspended Butler on Jan. 3 for seven games, citing “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team.”
Jimmy Butler: ‘I want to get my joy back’
A day prior to his first suspension, Butler indicated his desire to play for another team at a postgame news conference.
“I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball and wherever that may be, we’ll find out pretty soon,” Butler said on Jan 2. “I want to get my joy back. I’m happy here off the court, but I want to be back to somewhat dominant, I want to hoop and I want to help this team win. Right now, I’m not doing that.”
Amid initial reports that Butler wanted out, Heat president Pat Riley said in December that “we are not trading Jimmy Butler.” The team’s stance changed upon his his initial suspension. In their statement announcing Butler’s seven-game suspension, the Heat also announced that “we will listen to offers.”
Butler’s seven-game suspension was without pay and cost him roughly $2.4 million in salary. The NBPA has stated that it will file an appeal in hopes of reducing or eliminating the financial penalty.
Butler served the suspension despite the planned appeal and returned to play in Miami’s three games since while averaging 13 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. For the season, Butler is averaging 17 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. His scoring average is his lowest since his third season in the league in 2013-14.
A Heat team that’s advanced to the NBA Finals twice with Butler is off to a 21-21 start, good for ninth place in the Eastern Conference as of Wednesday.
Will Heat trade Butler before deadline?
Butler, 35, has been linked in trade reports to the Phoenix Suns, and there’s reportedly a mutual desire between Butler and the Suns to join forces. The Suns made a trade with the Jazz on Tuesday to acquire draft capital that could be used to facilitate a deal to acquire Butler.
The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 6. In the meantime, dysfunction continues to fester on a Heat team that prides itself in team culture so much that it’s boasted about it with writing on its home court. This is certainly not the team culture that the franchise wants to portray.
Meanwhile, this is not the first time Butler’s torched relationships on his apparent way out the door.