“Jimmy Butler Hasn’t Even Really Started”: Conflict in Miami is Likely to Turn Even Uglier, Per ESPN Insider

If you’re an NBA fan in 2025, you already have plenty to keep you entertained. The Thunder whooped the Cavs last night in a battle between the best two teams in the league. Ja Morant is out there throwing down dunks on Wemby. LeBron James is on New Heights. Trade rumors are everywhere. There’s a lot to take in, and that’s before you even get to the ongoing soap opera between the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler.

Butler has just finished serving a seven-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, paving the way for him to play tonight against the Denver Nuggets. Whether he will or not, or whether he’ll be anything remotely resembling the player who has made six All-Star teams and led his team to two Finals appearances, remains to be seen.

According to ESPN NBA insider Ramona Shelburne, a source close to Butler said, “Jimmy hasn’t even really started,” implying that the standoff between Butler and the Heat is only going to get uglier as long as he remains on the team. This is bad news for Butler’s teammates, who have been forced to answer questions about the ongoing feud as they’ve been fighting to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference standings.

Individuals close to the Miami Heat do not want Jimmy Butler to be around the team, per @ramonashelburne

"I don't know how he can come back to this locker room,"

"We don't want him back." 😳

“While Heat sources say they expect Butler to return Friday against the Nuggets and… pic.twitter.com/EvByekLGEN

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 17, 2025

The Jimmy Butler-Miami Heat relationship is going to end badly

Butler’s ongoing temper tantrum has obviously alienated his teammates, but that didn’t stop him from reiterating his demand to be traded earlier this week. Heat president Pat Riley hasn’t yet found an offer he’s been willing to take.

The flames of this fire have been fanned even further by the Heat reportedly looking to change the designation of the suspension from “conduct detrimental to the team” to “failure to provide services,” which would double Butler’s fine. The player’s union has already filed a grievance on Butler’s behalf on the initial suspension, calling it “excessive and inappropriate.”

It seems that we’re well past the point of no return for Jimmy Buckets and the Heat to kiss and make up. Butler has a history of leaving teams on bad terms (the story of his Minnesota exit is legendary), while Riley is not exactly known for his compromising attitude when it comes to dealing with discontented stars such as Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James.

If you like a mess (and what NBA fans don’t), you’ll want to get your popcorn out for tonight’s Nuggets-Heat game, which will tip at 8 p.m. ET.