Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler will return from his second team-sanctioned suspension Monday against the Orlando Magic.
At this point, Butler’s ongoing feud with the front office has been a huge distraction for everyone involved both on- and off-the-court.
The trade deadline is less than two weeks away, but there still doesn’t appear to be an imminent end between the two parties.
As of Sunday, the team still isn’t considering sending Butler home while being paid until there’s a resolution, according to Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
“As of Sunday, the Heat remained opposed to sending Butler home while paying him,” Chiang and Jackson’s report read. “The seven-game suspension cost Butler a total of about $2.4 million in salary, and the two-game suspension cost Butler about $700,000 in additional salary.
“The National Basketball Players Association is expected to file a grievance to dispute the suspensions, with the fine money held in escrow until a resolution is reached. This process could take up to a year, but could result in Butler getting some of the lost salary back. … The Heat continues efforts to fulfill Butler’s trade request before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.”
Butler was suspended for seven games in early January for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team. It’s worth noting that they reportedly considered changing the designation to raise Butler’s fine, but didn’t. He was suspended again for two games Wednesday, but this one was classified as a, “continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team.”
Miami plays five games ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline, starting on Monday. Butler has only played three games since returning from his suspension, averaging 13.0 points and 5.7 assists in 29.3 minutes.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra has put the ball in his hands more over the last two against the Spurs and Trail Blazers, though there still hasn’t been the full energy or activity needed defensively.
Again, this entire saga has been a massive distraction, with both sides–Jimmy Butler and Pat Riley–pointing fingers at each other. Perhaps the best solution would be to send him home with pay until he’s traded–if he’s traded. That’s a sizable if. Though if he’s not, then he should return. Butler and the Heat will need each other if he’s not moved over the next 10 days.
Butler’s preferred destination–the Phoenix Suns–has a Bradley Beal-sized problem while leading the NBA in payroll. We know the 35-year-old star doesn’t want to be moved to Memphis, but that has no bearing on the market heating up with the 28 other teams.
Trades get done when every side has urgency. The Heat still haven’t found a deal worth considering, and time is beginning to run out. The situation’s become untenable, but the Heat appear open to welcoming Butler back with semi-open arms for the next week-and-a-half, at a minimum.
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Sunman’s Trade Scenario #15,386 (It looks good on NBA Trade Machine!)
Miami gets: Zach LaVine, Josh Giddey and *1 Phoenix 1st round pick
Phoenix gets: Jimmy Butler
Chicago gets: Bradley Beal and 2 Phoenix 1st Round Picks
* If push comes to shove, let Chicago have all 3 Phoenix picks
Starters: Giddey, Herro, LaVine, Bam, Ware
2nd Unit: Rozier, Robinson, Jaquez, Highsmith, Jovic
After trade no 14 thousand and something your best suggestion.
Still, I would pack Lavine and the first for a better player or a player with expiring conctract.
Giddey for Bulter and this season rental works for me.
I agree with Vagibugi. Make it happen, Sunman!
Sit Jimmy’s ass on the bench and don’t play him at all before the February 6th trade deadline! He has already quit on the team. He doesn’t deserve to be out there with players who are busting their butts trying to win. Explore all trade opportunities, whether he likes the teams or not. Memphis, Milwaukee, Sacramento, Atlanta, Denver, Lakers…anybody! Hopefully, he goes to one of the California or New York teams where he will be required to pay state taxes. If Jimmy doesn’t like it, wait for him to act up then suspend his money hungry @$$ again…and again!
I’d say play him sparingly. 5min per quarter but bench him in 4th. Will continue to affect team but I don’t care now if we even don’t make the playoffs with all this drama. Just building the young core i think is one of the focus. But knowing Heat culture they’ll still try to compete.
I can understand that they don’t wanna just pay him to go home, but if he’s going to be with the team, he just needs to sit at the end of the bench and not play at all as far as I’m concerned.
pats gonna have to sit his ass down and get him to play hard for a half year.nobody wants him rc
Not sure why you think that. Several teams want him. It’s just that Riley hasn’t been happy with the offers. On top of that, the Suns, who do want him, have the problem of moving Beal to a team he’s willing to go to, and that team has to be willing to take on that bad contract. I want him on the bench because if he gets hurt, his value will go down to zilch and we’ll be stuck with him for the next 1 1/2 seasons.
im taking the other spin rc have a face to face meeting he loves the city likes the players.show what u got to other teams maybe he will be motivated.to get a big contract next year.pat just has to say something to the effect sorry about those comments i made and all will be good maybe.i dont think any team will trade for jimmy hes injured alot and not producing like he use to.
No thanks! Riley wasn’t totally right with this issue, but Butler has been a total a-hole. He’s made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t want to be here. He didn’t give 100% most of last season. He’s given no effort this season. If he had, we wouldn’t have ended up last season in the play-in to get embarrassed by Boston. As SM said, don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
Something the side that says Pat bleeped this up never asks is what was told to Jimmy the prior season? Did Pat and Spo approach Jimmy and his agent about playing more and then he went into last season and still loafed around? Because if they did, and I would think they did, then no wonder Pat came out publicly. If you’re not going to listen when I privately ask you then maybe publicly might do it. It didn’t. but that’s because Jimmy wants that boatload of cash while doing less than ever. Yeah, that’s a no for me, dawg.
Bob Seger, music man – Turn The Page.
what team wants him,havent heard that
Well, obviously the Suns. Talk about Memphis. Reports that the Heat front office has taken calls from multiple teams. Where there is smoke, there may be fire.