The Miami Heat have suspended guard Jimmy Butler for seven games due to what they say are “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team.”
The organization specifically referred to “actions and statements” by Butler that have “shown he no longer wants to be part of this team.”
The Heat said, “Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers.”
A War of Words
In a candid press conference yesterday, Butler all but said that he wants to leave Miami. The 14-year NBA veteran said, “I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball — and wherever that may be.”
In mid-December, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, indicated his client would be open to trade offers from the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and the Phoenix Suns.
Lee, however, denied those reports, calling them “made-up” and questioning Charania’s journalistic integrity.
Weeks later, Heat president Pat Riley released a statement declaring that the Heat “are not trading Jimmy Butler.”
Butler and the Heat
Butler began his NBA career with the Chicago Bulls and made his way to Miami in 2019 after stops in Minnesota and Philadelphia. He has led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances — including in 2023 when the gritty, eight-seeded team fell to the Denver Nuggets in five games.
The six-time NBA All-Star remains extremely driven, though his performance has begun to drop off with age.
The Heat are sixth in an extremely competitive Eastern Conference with a record of 17-15.
Butler Is a Fighter On and Off the Court
Butler’s tremendous on-the-court accomplishments have come despite great childhood adversity.
At the age of 13, Butler was left homeless after being kicked out by his mother, who told him, “I don’t like the look of you. You gotta go.”
He told ESPN, “My whole life, people have doubted me…That’s my chip. That’s what motivates me. I know I can overcome anything if I just take everything one day [at a] time.”
Butler isn’t someone to mess with. But now he’s at war with Riley, one of the league’s most powerful executives.
In the end, he may get what he wants — but with the loss of pay.
Jimmy Butler’s days with the Heat are clearly numbered. All signs point to him shaking up the Western Conference playoff race.
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