The Heat have punched back at Jimmy Buter’s shenanigans, announcing he will be suspended seven games for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks.”
After losing to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night, Butler was seething during his post-game press conference and emphasized he could not find himself playing with joy until leaving the Heat.
In the statement, Miami also made clear that it will listen to trade offers. This comes just a week after team president Pat Riley put out a statement that the team would not trade him.
“Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team. Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers.”
What Next With Butler Suspended?
Butler’s suspension means will be absent from the team until Jan. 17 against the Denver Nuggets.
In those two weeks, one would imagine that the Heat will evaluate the trade offers that come in and complete the one that makes the most sense. It’s hard to envision a scenario in which Butler has not played his last game for Miami.
With the seven-game suspension, Butler will lose $346,543 each game for a total of $2.35M.
As a result of Butler’s unprofessional actions, Miami will also feel no obligation to find a situation that appeases Butler’s desire to contend for a championship. Riley is as cut-throat a personality as there is in the league and the sole focus will be on doing the deal that best serves the Heat organization.
Above all, this is a statement from Miami on ‘Heat Culture’ and that no one is above the team.
Which Teams Will Enter Mix?
It has been previously reported that Butler is most interested in being traded to one of the Warriors, Mavericks, Rockets, or Suns. That is no longer a point of emphasis.
The Heat will likely look for packages that can complement Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, who are in their age 25 and 27 seasons, respectively.
Houston definitely has the pieces to meet the needs of Miami, but now it’s a question of if the Heat are inclined to give Butler what he wants.
Either way, it looks to be a very busy couple of weeks ahead for the Heat while Butler puts his feet up.
