Jimmy Butler on his future plans: “I’m back”

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Jimmy Butler reported to practice ahead of Friday afternoon’s Miami Heat game at Kaseya Center, sources told AM850, ahead of his return to the court following the end of his suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.


MIAMI — With his seven-game suspension over, the star of the Miami Heat Jimmy Butler returned to the starting lineup for Friday’s home game against the Denver Nuggetssaid head coach Erik Spoelstra.

Spoelstra said during his pre-match press session that the lineup Jimmy ButlerBam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Haywood Highsmith and Duncan Robinson “gives us the best opportunity tonight.”

Earlier on Friday, Butler channeled the famous statement from Michael Jordan before his return to the NBA in 1995, tweeting through his agent, Bernie Lee, “I’m back.” Butler also posted several photos of himself on his Instagram Story wearing Jordan’s No. 45 jersey, which the NBA legend Bulls used during his return to the court.

Butler reported to the team’s pregame practice Friday afternoon at Kaseya Center, sources told AM850, ahead of his return to the court following the end of his suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.

Spoelstra opened Friday’s pregame session with a minute-plus statement explaining the status of Butler’s situation and repeatedly asking that only basketball questions be asked after it.

“We work in a league of complexity,” Spoelstra said. “We’re in an unusual place right now, but really everything is complex, and we plan to operate within this complexity. It’s my job to prepare this team and prepare them to play at a high level, and that’s what I’m doing. That’s the plan. My methods of doing so are really none of your business. You are all looking for drama, I am looking to prepare this team to play at a high level.

“And as for stupid questions like, ‘What’s the temperature in the room?’ or ‘How is everyone feeling?’, that sounds very dramatic. We’re professional, we’re fine, we’re ready for the game tonight, and that’s the only thing that matters. We’re looking forward to playing again. home for a while and we’re full, so we’re looking forward to this season.”

When Spoelstra was asked if he believed this team could still perform while dealing with these complexities, he said, “Yeah, sure. If I didn’t believe that, I wouldn’t be here now, or in this position I’m in.”

The last time Miami used this starting lineup, in a 128-115 loss here to the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 2, Butler played 27 minutes, scoring nine points and four assists before declaring after the game that he wanted to “get his joy back.” “and that he didn’t believe that could be done in Miami.

Sources told AM850 that the Heat would like to find a deal to satisfy Butler’s wishes to send him elsewhere, but at this point a deal has not materialized that would satisfy what Miami is looking for (a combination of players who can help the Heat now, short-term movable salary, young players and draft capital).