The Jimmy Butler fiasco took an interesting turn on Friday when the NBA veteran returned to the lineup after a 7-game suspension. Amid the ongoing hostilities between Jimmy and the Heat front office, his teammates have mostly tried to avoid any involvement. Kevin Love is the exception and after he posted a cryptic message on Thursday, he went viral once again for his candid take on Butler’s return.
“Me trying to recoup the suspension money for Jimmy and Bernie on my vet minimum contract…” wrote Love in the caption of a clip on his Instagram.
Kevin Love keeps going lmao.
“Me trying to recoup the suspension money for Jimmy & Bernie on my Vet Minimum contract… #poweroffriendship” pic.twitter.com/GfyobBXyxL
— 𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙉𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 (@HeatvsHaters) January 17, 2025
Love’s veteran minimum contract won’t do much to settle Butler’s $2.3 million suspension money but he probably wouldn’t hesitate to pay it if he could and it just goes to show that not everyone is on the same page with how the Heat have handled the situation with their prized veteran star.
While many people have condemned Butler for his recent actions toward the Heat, Love has been one of the few to come to his defense. He was also the first one to announce Butler’s return earlier this week and now he may be hinting at a potential refind for the All-NBA star.
Initially, Butler was issued a suspension from the Heat due to “conduct detrimental to the team.” According to Miami, Butler’s lethargic play and careless attitude were a detriment to their goals and they had no choice but to exile him in hopes of settling the situation down. The final decision was a 7-game suspension which cost Butler roughly $2.3 million.
The relationship was so sour that the Heat were even considering changing the designation of Butler’s suspension to increase the punishment and send an even stronger message.
But despite all of the drama and chaos, Butler remains with the Heat and he even made his return to the court tonight in a loss against the Denver Nuggets. Better yet, before the game, he announced his “return” to the Miami Heat with an official statement from his agent and a photo on his Instagram with Michael Jordan’s iconic 45 jersey.
Besides the pre-game theatre, Butler proved his loyalty to the Heat with another productive game on the court. Although his team lost, Butler played his role with 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists on 46.7% shooting.
Whether it’s just temporary or something more long-term, Butler has seemingly found common ground with the Heat, and his meeting with the team’s owner, Micky Arrison, has gone a long way toward mending what was thought to be a shattered relationship.
Regarding the missed games and the fines, Love’s post implies that the Heat may be feeling some guilt over taking such a harsh stance on Butler. They not only publicly shunned the guy, they essentially charged him $2.3 million as the punishment and nearly tried for more.
Jimmy was all but done with the franchise until just recently but now that he’s back, maybe the Heat will offer to pay him back in full for the $2.3 million this whole ordeal has cost him. If not, Jimmy can rest easy knowing that he still has the support of the team’s owner, head coach Erik Spoelstra, and many of his veteran teammates.
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