Jimmy Butler was the best player for the Miami Heat for five years and helped lead the team to two NBA Finals during his time there. He talked proudly about the city, the team, and the “Heat Culture” that defines the franchise.
However, Butler also missed a lot of games and seemed unhappy at times. He didn’t receive a $113 million extension last summer that he was eligible for. Now, a separation seems inevitable.
The day after Butler said he didn’t think he could find joy on the court in Miami anymore, the Heat suspended him for seven games and announced they would listen to trade offers. This signals that the team doesn’t expect him to play for them again.
“We have suspended Jimmy Butler for seven games for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks,” the team said in a statement Friday night.
“Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team.”
During his suspension, Butler will lose about $336,543 per game, totaling roughly $2,355,798. He has the option to appeal, which could reduce the financial impact.
The National Basketball Players Association stated it plans to file a grievance, calling the seven-game suspension “excessive and inappropriate.”
If the suspension is not changed, Butler will miss the team’s home game against Utah on Saturday and the entire six-game road trip to Sacramento, Golden State, Utah, Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The earliest Butler could return is January 17 against Denver, but it’s likely he has played his last game for the Heat.
“Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers,” the Heat said.
Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Heat’s statement about being open to trading Butler marks a sharp change from a week ago when Heat President Pat Riley said the team would not trade him.
That was then. Now, it appears that Butler’s relationship with the Heat, which had been a topic of conversation for weeks, has reached its breaking point.
The Heat lost to Indiana 128-115 on Thursday night, with Butler scoring just nine points and sitting out the fourth quarter for the second game in a row. He also sat out the fourth quarter in a win against New Orleans on Wednesday.
“What do I want to see happen? I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball, wherever that may be — we’ll find out here pretty soon,” Butler said after Thursday’s game. “I want to get my joy back.
I’m happy here, off the court, but I want to be back to somewhere dominant. I want to hoop and I want to help this team win. Right now, I’m not doing that.”
When asked if he could find that joy in Miami, Butler replied, “Probably not,” and ended the news conference there.
It seems likely that Butler’s time with the Heat is over.
“Who moves the needle the most on our team is Jimmy,” Riley said in May, after the season ended. “Jimmy moves the needle the most. He’s an incredible player.”
Butler made a significant impact in Miami over his 5 1/2 seasons, ranking eighth in team history for points, assists, and steals, all in just 313 games. In the playoffs, he was exceptional, scoring 40 or more points in 18 games, including a record 56-point performance against Milwaukee in the 2023 playoffs.
Butler, 35, became eligible for an extension last summer. The Heat did not offer him one, with Riley expressing concerns about giving such a deal to a player who has missed a lot of games.
Since joining the Heat, Butler has missed about one in every four games. At media day this fall, he believed his performance this season would lead to an extension.
“I guess I’ve got to go and hoop. … I’ve got to prove that I am a major part of winning and rightfully so. I’ve done it before. This is no different,” Butler said then.
It didn’t work out as expected.
This is not the first time the Heat have seen a key player leave. LeBron James left in 2014, Dwyane Wade left before returning, and Shaquille O’Neal was traded. It also isn’t Butler’s first tough split.
There are similarities between what’s happening in Miami now and the end of Butler’s time in Minnesota.
In 2018, Butler was nearing free agency (just like now) and was unhappy with the Timberwolves (similar to his situation with the Heat). After a practice where he aggressively called out his teammates, Butler told ESPN that he wanted to hear the Wolves say, “We need you. We want you here. We can’t do this without you.”
His comments from Tuesday in Miami suggested he didn’t feel the Heat showed him the level of support he wanted. “It’s good to be talked about. Even better to be wanted, though. Remember that,” Butler said after practice.
In the end, Butler got his wish. Minnesota traded him to Philadelphia, and then he got his wish again when he joined the Heat in a sign-and-trade. He said he wanted to finish his career in Miami.
Both sides benefited during his time with the Heat. Butler has earned about $200 million in salary during his 5 1/2 seasons, with another $25 million still to come this season, while the Heat reached two NBA Finals.
But it worked until it didn’t.
