Report: Heat not liking Jimmy Butler trade offers, plan for star to return from suspension
The Miami Heat have "not been presented with an appealing offer" to trade Jimmy Butler and expect the suspended star to rejoin the team in a week.
The Miami Heat have “not been presented with an appealing offer” to trade Jimmy Butler and expect the suspended star to rejoin the team in a week, reported the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang on Thursday.
Butler, who has an interest in joining the Phoenix Suns, is eligible to return from his seven-game suspension next Friday against the Denver Nuggets when the Heat return from a six-game road trip.
Miami remains willing to trade the disgruntled Butler but won’t unless better offers come across president Pat Riley’s desk. Butler has been working out in the team’s facility with staffers during the suspension, according to the Miami Herald.
All along, the Heat have maintained Butler would be part of this year’s team even though he’s expected to opt out of the $52.4 million contract for next season, the newspaper added.
Heat have planned for Jimmy Butler to play through trade rumors
Riley has not made comments on Butler’s situation other than a release to quiet rumors about Butler’s imminent departure on Dec. 26.
“We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches,” Riley said in a team statement. “Therefore, we will make it clear — we are not trading Jimmy Butler.”
But on Jan. 3, Miami reversed course by suspending Butler after he said in postgame press conference that he’s lost joy playing and probably couldn’t find that joy again without leaving Miami.
“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. “Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team.”
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