Report: Former Wolves forward Jimmy Butler suspended indefinitely by Heat

Former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jimmy Butler was suspended indefinitely by the Miami Heat after walking out of their morning shootaround on Monday after being told he would no longer start, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

On Monday morning, the Heat informed Butler, according to Charania, the team was not planning to start him anymore and would instead turn to Haywood Highsmith in the starting five. That's when Butler walked out, and Miami decided to suspend him indefinitely, the latest development in an ongoing saga between Butler and the Heat. Butler, who's unhappy in Miami and wants a trade, was just set to return from a two-game suspension for missing a team flight last week.

Jimmy Butler walked out of Heat shootaround this morning after being informed the team is planning not to start him -- with Haywood Highsmith starting -- moving forward, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/8I31eT524l
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 27, 2025

Butler has missed 14 of Miami's last 19 games and served a previous seven-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. Butler has started 25 of the team's 44 games and is averaging 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. He last suited up for the Heat in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 21. Butler played for the Wolves during the 2017-18 season and part of the 2018-19 season before he became disgruntled and was traded to Philadelphia.

Butler has expressed his desire to be traded once again, but a potential deal is complicated as Miami is above the first apron and cannot take on any additional salary. Still, there have been rumblings of a potential trade between the Heat and Phoenix Suns, which would be an even more complicated deal as the Suns are above the second apron. But with the latest developments in Miami, a trade could be imminent as it becomes clear reconciliation between the sides is unlikely.

The NBA trade deadline is coming up on Feb. 6.

Related: Report: Wolves among teams willing to help facilitate Jimmy Butler trade

If the Heat and Suns could get a deal done in the next day or two, it would be interesting to see whether Butler could make his debut against his former team. That's probably pretty unlikely as the Wolves visit the Suns Wednesday night, and it's not likely a deal could get done and Butler would be ready to make his debut as soon as then. But either way, it's a comical result. It's been a recurring theme for Butler to miss games against Minnesota. He's missed six of the last seven matchups between the Wolves and Heat, including when the Heat visited Target Center on Nov. 10 as Butler had an ankle injury.

Even if no deal gets done, it feels like Butler might've played his last game in Miami. If he remains suspended throughout the rest of the season, he'd miss yet another matchup against the Wolves when Minnesota visits Miami on March 7.