The Miami Heat suspended star forward Jimmy Butler for seven games, the team announced Friday, and said it will listen to trade offers.
The Heat said in an X publication that Butler’s suspension was due to conduct that has harmed the team throughout the season.
“We have suspended Jimmy Butler for seven games for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly in recent weeks,” the team said.
A representative for Butler did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday evening.
The suspension comes a day after Butler indicated he wants out of the team he has led to two NBA Finals.
Butler said Thursday night that he had lost the joy of playing in Miami.
“I want to see myself regain my joy playing basketball. Wherever it is, we will know here very soon,” he told reporters. “I’m happy here off the court, but I want to get back to being somewhat dominant, I want to play basketball and I want to help this team win, and right now I’m not doing that.”
When asked if he could regain his joy on the court with the Heat, Butler said, “Probably not.”
The six-time All-Star’s comments came after the Heat lost to the Indiana Pacers 128-115, with Butler scoring just nine points. He had also scored just nine a day earlier against the New Orleans Pelicans.
ESPN reported later Thursday that Butler “has indicated to the Miami Heat that he wants the team to trade him,” citing league sources. NBC News has not independently verified that report.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has attributed the consecutive lackluster performances in part to Butler’s two-week absence due to illness.
But the comments about finding joy come amid sour relations with team management that have fueled weeks of speculation.
On Christmas Day, ESPN reported that Butler preferred a trade before the Feb. 6 deadline. In response, Heat president Pat Riley issued a rare statement, saying, “We’ll make it clear: We will not trade Jimmy Butler.”
But in a post Friday, the Heat said Butler “and his representative have indicated they wish to be traded, therefore we will listen to offers.”
“Through his actions and statements, he has shown that he no longer wants to be a part of this team,” the Heat said.
The Heat decided not to offer Butler a new contract before the 2024-25 season, when he was eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension.
Butler missed the Heat’s first-round playoff series last season due to a knee injury. Following the team’s loss to the Boston Celtics, Butler indicated on social media that the team would have won the series if he had been healthy.
“If you’re not playing on the court, you should keep your mouth shut,” Riley said in response.
Butler has indicated that he is open to playing anywhere other than Miami, ESPN sources reported.
The 35-year-old, known for his combative two-way style and key scoring in the playoffs, is in the final year of a $49 million contract and can become a free agent in July.
