Jimmy Butler Approves of Veteran Teammate’s Mocking After Suspension

Miami Heat big man and aspiring social media comedian Kevin Love has a fan in teammate Jimmy Butler.

Love spent Butler’s recent seven-game suspension repeatedly poking fun at the six-time All-Star. Hours before Butler returned to the court Friday against the Nuggets, Love posted a meme mocking the roughly $2.36 million Butler will lose from his suspension.

“Me trying to recoup the suspension money for Jimmy & [agent Bernie Lee] on my Vet Minimum contract,” Love wrote, adding a #poweroffriendship hashtag.

Butler, to his credit, takes the jokes in good fun.

“I like Kev, but [he’s] not more petty than I am,” Butler told reporters, “and he’s giving me a run for my money.”

Butler’s suspension kept Love, who has played only once since Dec. 29, quite busy. He celebrated Butler’s impending return with an Instagram post Thursday.

The veteran big man shared an infamous scene from The Wolf of Wall Street where Leonardo DiCaprio’s character expresses he’s “not f----g leaving.”

“LIVE LOOK - Jimmy after his meeting with Micky,” Love wrote, adding a #getmyjoyback caption.

“Micky” refers to Heat owner Micky Arison, who reportedly planned to meet with Butler before Friday’s game against the Nuggets.

Love is in the first year of a two-season, $8 million contract. Maybe he’ll purchase a BigFace coffee if he wants to really utilize the #poweroffriendship and help Butler financially.

BUTLER SAYS BEEF WITH MANAGEMENT, NOT TEAMMATES

Butler said he was excited to be around teammates but still hinted a rift remains between him and Heat management, mainly team president Pat Riley.

"It felt good to get out there and compete and actually run around with these guys," Butler said after the Heat's loss to the Denver Nuggets. "As much as everybody may think, I don't got a problem with these guys. These guys are cool.

“They're my friends. ... My beef is not with them and never will be,” Butler added. “Never has been. But it did feel good to get out there and play some basketball."

Butler finished with 18 points on 7 of 15 shooting. The Heat and Butler have feuded since last offseason when Riley criticized Butler for talking about last season's loss to the Boston Celtics in the playoffs. Butler was sidelined for the series due to injury.

Things only got worse when the Heat refused to offer a contract extension. It culminated with Butler requesting a trade earlier this month.

"I guess it's basketball at this point," Butler said. "I know what I'm expected to do while I'm here and try to do that to the best of my ability, but we are where we are."

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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.