Jimmy Butler Will Return to the Heat After His Road Trip Is Over

Jimmy Butler, who will rejoin the Heat next week, will stay in Miami for the last two games of their road trip, the team announced Friday. Miami’s next games are against the Houston Rockets on Sunday and the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. They will play the New Orleans Pelicans at home on Wednesday.

Butler’s absence was attributed to competitive reconditioning, the same reason the team gave for his absence from Thursday’s victory over the Orlando Magic.

Pat Riley talks about Jimmy Butler’s future with the Heat

Heat president Pat Riley announced the team will not be dealing Butler this season the day before Friday’s update.

The six-time All-Star Butler is open to trade destinations including the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets, but he favors a trade out of Miami before the deadline on February 6, league sources previously told ESPN’s Shams Charania.

In a statement, Riley said: “We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches. Therefore, we will make it clear — we are not trading Jimmy Butler,”

Butler suffered a twisted ankle during Miami’s defeat at the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. He missed the rest of that game and the following two Heat games, against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday and the Magic on Saturday, although the reason given was illness rather than an ankle injury.

This season, the 35-year-old Butler is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. He consistently performs well in the postseason and is among the NBA’s best players.

Including the five seasons prior in Miami, where he guided the Heat to two NBA Finals trips and one more Eastern Conference finals appearance, his teams have advanced to the postseason in 12 of his first 13 seasons.

The team announced on Friday that Josh Richardson (heel) will also not play against the Hawks.

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