Jimmy Butler will return to the Miami Heat after serving his seven-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team for Friday's home game against the Denver Nuggets. We have questions. Let’s jump in.
1. Will Jimmy Butler play?
Like, will he get minutes? Some corners of the internet (and my own co-host on Locked On Heat) believe the Heat cannot bring Butler back.
The relationship between star player and organization has been torched, Butler has doubled down on his trade request, and his presence around the team has weighed heavily on the locker room.
I have a hard time seeing the Heat just benching him. If Butler returns, participates in shootaround, warms up and gets dressed, it would be a dramatic decision for coach Erik Spoelstra and the organization to hand him a DNP-CD.
Also, the NBA Players Association could get involved at that point. Not something the Heat want to deal with.
2. What was the meeting with owner Micky Arison about?
We should get some answers, either vaguely from Spoelstra or if Butler speaks with the media. Don’t expect fireworks, though. That’s not how Arison operates.
Simply put, Arison might want an answer to our first question. As long as he’s signing the checks, he wants to know what he’s paying for. Butler makes more than $500,000 per game. As long as he’s activated, will he be engaged, or will he reprise his role standing in the corner as he did the two previous games before his suspension?
3. Can Butler still help this team?
The Heat have a way of making things go away. Butler’s trade request stands, but can Spoelstra and the group come together, find common ground, and try to win some basketball games despite the elephant in the room?
There’s an argument that Butler playing, and playing well, is the best option for everyone involved. Butler avoids suspension, the Heat win games and potential trade partners are reminded of what Butler is capable of.
The Heat are 3-4 since Butler’s suspension. They’ve slipped to ninth in the East, a game back of sixth. They want to make the playoffs. Butler helping them stack some wins and finding a trade before the Feb. 6 deadline is Miami’s best-case scenario.
4. What if Butler goes the other way?
Of course, Butler doesn’t have to play ball. He’s made his wishes known and did a good job of ruffling feathers the last time he was on the court. Butler playing nice doesn’t seem like his style. So what can he do to continue to make it uncomfortable?
He can do what he did in the last two games, but that led to a suspension. He could claim injury and pull himself out of the game, but that, too, would invite possible repercussions. Not to mention, the Heat might actually prefer that.
Every time that it seemed Butler was out of moves during this chapter, he found another to play. When he wants to, few are better at making people around him uncomfortable than Butler.
5. What is the next crazy turn?
One thing we know for sure is that this saga isn’t over. Until there is a resolution, the Heat and Butler are at odds. With Butler back, one thing we know for sure is that something will happen to get people talking.