Jimmy Butler has been sidelined once again.
The Miami Heat suspended Butler indefinitely Monday afternoon amid his demand for a trade, which has yet to be met. It marks his third suspension with the organization this month.
Butler apparently walked out of shootaround Monday morning after learning the team wasn’t going to start him in their game against the Orlando Magic, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Haywood Highsmith will start in his place. Butler was set to return to the team Monday after serving a two-game suspension.
“The Miami Heat are suspending Jimmy Butler without pay effective immediately for an indefinite period to last no fewer than five games,” the team said in a 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.”
Butler will now be suspended for a minimum of five games, though the team called the suspension indefinite. The NBA’s trade deadline is set for Thursday, Feb. 6 — which is one day after Butler would be eligible to return to the court for the team if the suspension were to last only five games.
The suspension, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, will cost Butler more than $2.6 million.
Butler appeared to respond to the suspension on his Instagram story on Monday afternoon.
Butler has averaged 17 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game this season, his sixth with the Heat. He was first suspended for seven games on Jan. 3 for what the Heat called “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team.” He briefly returned, but was then suspended for two games last week after he missed a team flight for a road trip.
Even before his first suspension, he made it clear he wants out of Miami and he wasn’t happy there.
“I want to get my joy back,” Butler said before his first suspension. “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. Right now, I’m not doing that.”
The Heat initially said they were not going to trade Butler, but they have since reversed course and said they will “listen to offers.” He’s been linked to reports for a possible trade with the Phoenix Suns, and Butler was even spotted wearing shoes in the Suns’ colors earlier this month. It’s unclear if such a deal will get done.
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This type of behavior is nothing new for Butler. He torched relationships with the Minnesota Timberwolves on his way out of that organization, too. Clearly he’s not only prepared to do that this time around, but he’s already accomplishing that before he has a clear path out.
But if nothing else, Butler is staying true to his word. He wants to move on from the Heat, and he isn’t backing down — even if that goes completely against the team culture the organization has prided itself on for decades and ends up costing him millions of dollars. He wants to be done in Miami.