Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
On Sunday, the Miami Heat and Houston Rockets were involved in a heated scuffle with less than a minute remaining in their matchup.
It began when Rockets forward Amen Thompson threw Heat guard Tyler Herro to the ground, and it led to a bigger exchange that resulted in numerous ejections.
On Tuesday, Heat star Jimmy Butler — who had been away from the team — said he wished he could’ve gotten involved in the action.
Butler is now back with the Heat after missing time due to an illness and reconditioning following said illness. He missed five games in total.
The NBA on Tuesday handed out suspensions and fines following the Heat-Rockets scuffle. Thompson was issued a two-game suspension while Heat guard Terry Rozier was handed a one-gamer.
While Butler may wish that he had been involved in the scuffle, the Heat are likely glad that he wasn’t because he has already missed enough time this season. A possible suspension wouldn’t have helped the cause. Butler has appeared in 20 games this season out of a possible 30.
The Heat are likely going to need him to stay available if they want to start making their way up the Eastern Conference standings, as they’re currently just 16-14. He is expected to be back in action on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The 2024-25 season has been a wild one for Butler, who has been involved in trade rumors with his future a major topic of discussion. Some have wondered whether he has already “checked out” when it comes to his Heat tenure.
But if his comments about the Rockets scuffle are any indication, it seems like he still wants to be there for his teammates as they navigate the season. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Dec. 25 that Butler would prefer a trade out of Miami before the deadline, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he is going to quit (mentally or physically) on the Heat.
Wednesday’s game will be worth monitoring so fans can see what version of Butler the Heat get against the Pelicans.
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