Heat suspend Butler indefinitely for ‘disregard of team rules’

The Miami Heat are suspending disgruntled star Jimmy Butler indefinitely, the team announced in a statement Monday.

“The Miami Heat are suspending Jimmy Butler without pay effective immediately for an indefinite period to last no fewer than five games,” per Miami’s statement.

“The suspension is due to a continued pattern of disregard of team rules, engaging in conduct detrimental to the team, and intentionally withholding services. This includes walking out of practice earlier today,” the team added.

Butler was scheduled to return from a two-game suspension Monday night against the Orlando Magic. However, he walked out of shootaround after he was told that Haywood Highsmith would start in his place, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The ban will last at least five games, with the fifth contest occurring the day before the NBA’s Feb. 6 trade deadline.

This is Butler’s third suspension this month. The 35-year-old received a seven-game ban in early January for conduct detrimental to the team after saying he no longer wished to play for the Heat. Butler returned for three contests before receiving a two-game suspension after he missed a team flight to Milwaukee.

This suspension will cost Butler $532,737 per game, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Butler reportedly reiterated his desire to be traded during his first ban in a face-to-face meeting with Heat president of basketball operations Pat Riley.

The Marquette product reportedly prefers to be traded to the Phoenix Suns. However, due to the new second-apron tax implications, the Suns would need to include one of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, or Bradley Beal to make the deal work. Beal, the name most often linked in the trade, possesses a no-trade clause.

Butler is averaging 17 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 25 games this season, all of which are career lows since he arrived in Miami during the 2019 offseason.

Miami is 4-5 in the nine games Butler has been suspended. The Heat are currently eighth in the East.

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