Jimmy Butler was recently suspended by the Miami Heat for a second time in a month, and the star forward is, once again, expected to return to the team.
Butler is planning to play in the Heat’s game against the Orlando Magic on Monday night, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Butler returned from a seven-game suspension on Jan. 17. He then played in two more games after that before being hit with another two-game suspension by the Heat for a “continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team, including missing today’s team flight to Milwaukee.”
One troubling report shared more information about how disruptive the stunt was that led to Butler’s most recent suspension.
Butler has been openly seeking a trade from Miami. The Heat resisted at first, but they have since been shopping the 35-year-old in discussions with other teams.
Butler has a $52 million player option for the 2025-26 season. He has been trying to use that as leverage to get the Heat to trade him to a team of his choosing, even though he does not have a no-trade clause in his deal. Butler is supposedly not willing to play for one specific team that might have interest in him.
It is clear that Butler is committed to doing everything he can to force a trade before the Feb. 6 deadline. That could lead to more drama for the Heat in the coming days.
