“Jimmy Butler returned to action for the Miami Heat on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans after nearly two weeks away. During his absence, reports surfaced suggesting Butler would prefer the Heat trade him before the deadline, though team president Pat Riley firmly stated he has no plans to move the All-Star wing, who could become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Butler has a history of forcing exits when he feels his time with a team is up, and the Heat are known for their hardline negotiating tactics. This dynamic led to speculation about Butler’s return from an illness, especially after he exited the game with 3:29 left in the third quarter and didn’t play in the fourth. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra addressed the decision postgame, clarifying it wasn’t related to the team being on a back-to-back but rather Butler’s extended absence.
“Thirteen days is quite a long time to be out, and I decided to stick with the group in the fourth quarter that was performing well to see if they could finish the game,” Spoelstra said.
Butler logged 25 minutes in the game, contributing nine points, four rebounds, and two assists on 3-for-5 shooting. Despite his limited role, the Heat secured a 119-108 win, led by Tyler Herro’s 32 points and Bam Adebayo’s near triple-double performance with 23 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds, and three steals.”
