Doric SamJanuary 23, 2025
Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images
After receiving his second multi-game suspension this month, Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler’s relationship with his team reportedly has deteriorated completely.
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, ESPN’s Shams Charania painted a bleak outlook on Butler’s remaining connection to the Heat.
“This relationship is over with as far as where they’re at, I don’t think you’re gonna put the genie back in the bottle,” Charania said (1:30 mark).
Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow
“There’s two weeks before the NBA trade deadline but the Miami Heat have a price that hasn’t been met yet..<br><br>The Heat aren’t operating with tremendous urgency but they are engaging with teams” <a href=”https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@ShamsCharania</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/PMSLive?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#PMSLive</a> <a href=”https://t.co/sGyQuCMlQL”>https://t.co/sGyQuCMlQL</a> <a href=”https://t.co/m025GAx8S5″>pic.twitter.com/m025GAx8S5</a>
Butler requested to be traded from Miami and Charania reported earlier this week that he’s “tripled down” on his request. However, he found himself in hot water over his choice to not travel with the team to Milwaukee for Thursday’s game against the Bucks, which caused the Heat to suspend him for two games. It was just a few weeks ago that the team suspended him for seven games for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season.”
Charania noted on Thursday that this isn’t the first time Butler chose not to travel with the Heat, and he informed the team of his decision to go to Milwaukee separately. Still, Miami’s choice to suspend him indicated that there’s a “no tolerance policy” concerning his antics.
Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow
“Jimmy Butler told the Heat that he was gonna fly separately from the team yesterday and this has happened before..<br><br>This was the Heat in a lot of ways saying that there’s a no tolerance policy right now” <a href=”https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@ShamsCharania</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/PMSLive?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#PMSLive</a> <a href=”https://t.co/g1lhP3wV4E”>https://t.co/g1lhP3wV4E</a> <a href=”https://t.co/rgAgBq9aNR”>pic.twitter.com/rgAgBq9aNR</a>
Butler’s exit from Miami appears imminent, but it’s hard to imagine that many teams are motivated to trade for him after seeing how things have been playing out between him and the Heat.
