Jimmy Butler’s “continued pattern of disregard of team rules” has resulted in an indefinite suspension from the Miami Heat.
The 35-year-old six-time NBA All-Star has already missed nine games due to two suspensions he received from his team this month for disciplinary reasons.
He was suspended without pay once more after leaving a team practice on Friday, according to the Heat. The suspension, according to them, will “last no fewer than five games” but is “indefinite”.
“The suspension is due to a continued pattern of disregard of team rules, engaging in conduct detrimental to the team and intentionally withholding services,” said a statement. Butler shared a clip from the American TV series Martin on Instagram shortly after the news broke, in which the character makes fun of being unemployed.
Due to “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season,” as the Heat put it, Butler was initially suspended at the beginning of January.
They later said that they would consider trade offers for the forward. After returning on January 17 and playing in games on January 18 and 19, he missed a team flight the following week and received another two-match ban.
After serving his second suspension last week, he played 27 minutes against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Heat defeated the Orlando Magic 125-119 in double overtime on Monday night without Butler.
Bam Adebayo contributed 26 points, including six in the second extra period, along with 10 rebounds and nine assists, while Tyler Herro scored 30 points and recorded a season-high 12 assists for the Heat.
In the last seconds of regulation play, Herro and Magic’s Franz Wagner missed three-pointers, forcing overtime.
After Miami fell behind by six points in the first overtime, they rallied in the last two minutes, but Wagner missed another long-range attempt at the buzzer.