The situation in Miami is volatile right now as Jimmy Butler hits the end of his 7-game suspension. And while Butler’s antics have caused internal chaos for the Heat, NBA insider Chris Haynes recently announced that he’d be returning to action and taking his place in the starting lineup for tonight’s game against the Denver Nuggets.
“Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler will make his return tonight against Denver Nuggets after serving a 7-game suspension and he’s expected to be in the starting lineup,” wrote Haynes on X.
The news signals a major shift in the ongoing dynamic between Butler and the Heat, but it’s a sign that there may be a path to reconciliation. The best moment of the night, however, came an hour later when Butler released the following statement ahead of tip-off:
“I’m back.”
JIMMY BUTLER WEARING THE MJ 45 “I’m back”
WE GOT OUR JOY BACK LETS CHECK BALL pic.twitter.com/PEysHBtGLf
— Heat Culture (@HeatCulture13) January 17, 2025
The message is a reference to the iconic moment from Michael Jordan when he made the same statement after his return from his first retirement. In this case, Butler isn’t coming back from retirement but he is re-joining a Heat team that he had already seemingly cut ties with.
To top it off, Jimmy also posted a photo wearing the iconic 45, which is the number Jordan wore when he returned from his first retirement in 1995. At the time, Jordan donned the number after the passing of his father as a callback to his days in High School (he changed it back to his signature 23 after 22 games).
The nasty feud between Butler and the Heat front office had been festering for weeks and everyone thought it was beyond repair. Due to several failed seasons, and a refusal to offer a new contract extension, the situation between the player and team turned downright toxic and their good standing with Jimmy was all but erased. With this latest turn of events, it seems that Riley doesn’t have to bother looking for a trade deal now but it doesn’t mean that all is forgiven and a trade may still eventually happen.
Over the past few days, the Heat have been working around the clock to negotiate a deal for Jimmy and several teams have shown interest, including the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and other organizations across the NBA. But without a package to his liking, Pat Riley has denied every offer so far.
With averages of 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game on 55.2% shooting this season, Jimmy hasn’t been playing up to his standards but he’s still good enough to make a massive difference on the court and his return has the chance to turn this season for the better.
Of course, Butler’s return could have other impacts. After the ugly and public falling out between Jimmy and Pat Riley, many are not convinced that the veteran swingman is capable of leading a positive locker room and his arrival threatens to further destabilize an already volatile situation.
Whether Butler’s return is more temporary or long-term, he’s not going anywhere for now. Besides his latest messages on social media, Butler recently hinted at a truce with Heat owner Micky Arison in a viral social media post from his teammate. All signs are that Butler has reconciled with the Miami Heat and he’s ready for the next chapter.
For now, all the franchise can do is move forward and hope that they can win enough games to keep their playoff hopes alive. If they can’t find a good trade for him this season, it’ll be interesting to see what they do over the summer considering he has a $52.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season.
Butler will make his first return to action after 7 games against the Denver Nuggets tonight but there are still a lot of games to be played this season. Next on the schedule is a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Kaseya Center before a showdown against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, January 21st, at 7:30 PM EST.
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