bingewatches

The Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler are very obviously heading towards a breakup, and on Friday night, the Heat escalated things with their disgruntled star. The team announced that Butler, who made clear on Thursday night that he doesn’t think he can find joy playing basketball in Miami, will be suspended for the next seven games.

“We have suspended Jimmy Butler for seven games for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks,” the team said in a statement. “Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team. Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers.”

The groundwork for this got laid in the offseason, when Heat executive Pat Riley made clear that the team did not just plan on giving Butler an extension despite the fact that he can hit unrestricted free agency this summer. While Butler began the season with the team, rumors started to pop up that he wanted a trade to one of a few teams if the Heat could work something out.

That got taken to another level on Christmas Day, when a report came out that Butler wanted a trade before the deadline. It led to Pat Riley putting his name on a statement which indicated that the team wasn’t going to move Butler, but over the last few days, Butler was benched late in a game on Wednesday (which Erik Spoelstra said had more to do with his return to action from an illness), then made some escalating comments after a game on Thursday that came out right before a report which said he’s open to a trade anywhere.