rewrite this content and keep HTML tags
Jimmy Butler has been suspended by the Heat for a third time in a matter of weeks, this time indefinitely, after he walked out of practice on Monday.
The latest from Shams: “The Heat were planning to replace Butler in the starting lineup with Haywood Highsmith beginning with Monday’s game in Orlando, sources said, but he responded to the news by walking out of the morning shootaround,” he said.
Miami said in its statement, “The suspension is due to a continued pattern of disregard of team rules, engaging in conduct detrimental to the team and intentionally withholding services. This includes walking out of practice earlier today.”
Jimmy has now missed nine of the Heat’s past 12 games due to suspensions, which is pretty crazy.
The first time was a seven game suspension due to detrimental conduct, Miami said.
The second time he returned to the court for three games, only for the team to suspended for two games because he missed a team flight to Milwaukee last week.
This makes the already untenable situation in Miami fairly dire. Butler has already requested a trade away from the team, but it is clear Pat Riley won’t be putting up with any of his dramatic behavior in the meantime.
Butler will lose $532,737 per game under the terms of the suspension as laid out by the Heat, ESPN’s Bobby Marks says.
So that means, a five-game absence will cause over $2 million in lost salary for the six-time All-Star.
“We didn’t talk about anything today other than preparing for the Magic. … We’re just focusing on the task at hand,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before Monday’s game against Orlando. “There’s no better place to be than just the present moment.”
READ MORE: Adam Silver & NBA Still Exploring Independent League Options in Europe
