Heat Suspender Jimmy Butler; will listen to trade offers

On By Littum

The Miami Heat have suspended star guard Jimmy Butler for seven games for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team.”

Butler on Thursday night, after scoring just nine points in a loss to the Indiana Pacers, said he had lost the joy of playing in Miami.

“Through his actions and statements, he has shown that he no longer wants to be a part of this team,” said a statement released by the Heat on Friday night. “Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated they want to be traded, so we will listen to offers.”

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday that Butler indicated to the Heat that he would like to be traded.

“I want to see me get my joy back playing basketball. Wherever that is, we’ll figure this out pretty soon,” Butler said after Thursday’s game against the Pacers. “I’m happy here off the field, but I want to be back to something dominant, I want to jump and I want to help this team win, and right now I’m not doing that.”

When asked if he can get his joy back on the court with the Heat, Butler replied, “Probably not.”

One issue that led to Butler’s decision to request a trade, sources told Charania, was a suggestion by team officials Thursday that he hadn’t played his hardest in the Heat’s win Wednesday over the New Orleans Pelicans. Playing his first game in 13 days after being sidelined with an illness, Butler took just five shots in 25 minutes and scored nine points.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra did not play Butler in the fourth quarter of either game this week.

Butler will not be with the Heat for their home game Saturday against Utah and then a six-game road trip to Sacramento, Golden State, Utah, Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The suspension will cost Butler $346,543 for each game missed, or a total of $2.35 million, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. He has the right to file an appeal within the next 30 days, and if he chooses to do so, the fine money will be held in escrow until a resolution is reached, a process that could take up to a year.

Butler is in the final guaranteed year of his contract; he has a player option worth more than $52 million for next season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.