Miami Heat Make First Comments Since Jimmy Butler Suspension

The Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler drama continued Wednesday night.

The Heat announced Butler is suspended two games again for conduct detrimental to the team. This time, it was for missing the team flight to Milwaukee.

The Heat released a statement, "We have suspended Jimmy Butler for two games for continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team, including missing today’s team flight to Milwaukee."

Last month Butler was suspended for similar incidents. He missed seven games before returning last Friday against the Denver Nuggets. Butler and the Heat have been at odds since last summer. That was when team president Pat Riley called out Butler for speaking on the team's playoff loss to the Boston Celtics despite not playing because of injury.

Things went further south when the Heat refused to offer a contract extension. It has led to Butler publicly requesting a trade.

WARE MAKING GREAT STRIDES

After spending the first half of the season on the bench, Miami Heat rookie Kel’el Ware has finally gotten his chance to shine with his playing time continuing to increase.

The Heat are 21-21, which has prompted coach Erik Spoelstra to lean more into his younger core players for more upside amid Jimmy Butler’s trade talks.

Ware initially was third-string behind Bam Adebayo and Kevin Love. However, Love’s increasing age and less mobility and effectiveness gave room for Ware to start taking over as the Heat’s main backup big man behind Adebayo.

Longtime league writer Steve Aschburner had this to say about Ware in this week's Kia Rookie of the Year Ladder on NBA.com

“The 7-footer from North Little Rock, Arkansas, played little or not at all in Miami’s first 25 games,” Aschburner wrote. “But his minutes have climbed from 6.9 before December to 22.1 this month, and his production has followed: 12.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game in January.”

Over his last five games, Ware has averaged 16.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks on 52 percent shooting and 39 percent from three-point range.

His last two games were most impressive. On Sunday, Ware finished with 25 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks on 52.6 percent shooting as he outperformed Victor Wembanyama’s 21 points, 10 rebounds, and one block on 44.4 percent shooting. He held Wembanyama to 2/10 shooting when he guarded him. Ware followed this performance with 20 points, 15 rebounds, and two blocks on 47.1 percent shooting against the Portland Trailblazers. He is the youngest rookie center since Dwight Howard to record at least 20 points, 15 rebounds and zero turnovers.

The ladder has Ware ranked No. 8 after not being ranked all year. If he continues to play this well, it won’t be long until he’s in the top five.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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