Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler suspended for seven games with trade imminentMiami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler suspended for seven games with trade imminent
Source: Megan Briggs/Getty Images

The GIST: Six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler might’ve played his last game with the Miami Heat after receiving a team-issued seven-game suspension for eyebrow-raising comments about his on-court unhappiness in the 305. So much for “no shenanigans.”

The context: Ever since he signed with Miami in 2019, Butler and Heat Culture seemed like a match made in hoops heaven. Gritty and brash, Butler was a natural fit for team president Pat Riley’s unapologetic franchise, leading the team to two NBA Finals appearances (2020, 2023) and cultivating an undeniable postseason persona in the process.

  • And if you think you’ve seen this film before, you’re right — Butler’s Minnesota Timberwolves tenure also ended in dramatic fashion in 2018.

The latest: While this tension has been simmering for months, it all boiled over in December. On the 26th, Riley issued a statement that the Heat are “not trading Jimmy Butler,” but when Butler was asked on the 31st if he wanted to play for Miami, he answered, “That’s a good question.” Yikes.

  • But for now, with the February 6th trade deadline looming, Butler’s sidelined until another team scoops him up. Are breakups always this messy?