The Miami Heat suspended six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler for seven games Friday following months of media reports of the guard’s desire for a trade, as well as a Thursday night press conference where he made his dissatisfaction clear.
“I want to see me getting my joy back playing basketball. Wherever that may be, we’ll find out here pretty soon,” Butler said after a Thursday game in which he scored only nine points. “I’m happy here off the court, but I want to be back to somewhat dominant, I want to hoop and I want to help this team win, and right now I’m not doing it.”
When asked if he can get his joy back on the court with the Heat, Butler responded: “Probably not.”
Roughly 20 hours later, the Heat released a statement: “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.”
This makes for a quick reversal of course for Miami, which released a very different statement from team president Pat Riley 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. Therefore, we will make it clear – We are not trading Jimmy Butler.”
Per Spotrac, Butler will forfeit $2.35 million of his $48.8 million salary due to the suspension. Since it was handed down by the team and not the league, Miami will not receive any luxury tax savings.
The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 6. ESPN has reported Butler prefers a trade to the Mavericks, Warriors, or Lakers, but his salary, the Heat’s payroll, and the league’s collective bargaining agreement make a deal challenging.
