5:25pm: Head coach Erik Spoelstra has confirmed that Butler will start vs. Denver, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
5:10pm: Having finished serving his team-imposed seven-game suspension, Jimmy Butler will make his return on Friday when the Heat host the Nuggets in Miami, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes, who reports (via Twitter) that the star forward is expected to reclaim his spot in the starting lineup.
Given how messy the standoff between the two sides had gotten, with Butler requesting a trade and Miami suspending him for conduct detrimental to the team, there had been some skepticism that the 35-year-old would play another game for the Heat. However, reports throughout the week had suggested that both the Heat and Butler were preparing for this scenario
The Heat don’t have many good paths forward outside of reintegrating Butler. They reportedly haven’t come close to receiving a viable trade offer and would face significant push-back from the NBPA if they tried to suspend him again. Sending Butler home while he continues to collect pay checks reportedly isn’t an option that appeals to management — it would also likely violate the NBA’s player participation policy.
Agent Bernie Lee issued a tongue-in-cheek press release on Twitter on behalf of Butler moments ago, stating, “I’m back,” a reference to Michael Jordan‘s statement via agent David Falk when Jordan made his NBA comeback in 1995.
The last time Butler returned from a multi-game absence amid trade rumors was on January 1, when he played vs. New Orleans after missing five games due to a minor ankle injury and an illness. He didn’t look fully engaged in that outing or during a Jan. 2 game vs. Indiana, frequently standing in the corner on offense without the ball in his hands, though he and his camp later strongly pushed back against the implication that he wasn’t playing his hardest.
Butler’s trade request was reported shortly after the Jan. 2 game, with the Heat announcing his suspension the following day.
Within an in-depth report on the Butler situation earlier today, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said that the Heat were “fully prepared” for the six-time All-Star to play on Friday, but added that there was a “palpable dread at what he might do and the environment the ongoing chaos might create.”
Obviously, it’s worth keeping a close eye on how Butler’s return plays out to see whether he and the Heat can get through the night without any further drama.