Butler returns from 7-game ban in loss vs. Nuggets

Miami Heat veteran Jimmy Butler was in the starting lineup for Friday's 133-113 defeat at the hands of the Denver Nuggets after completing his seven-game suspension.

Butler recorded 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting. He played 33 minutes in his first appearance for the Heat since a loss to the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 2.

Miami's starting five also included Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Haywood Highsmith, and Bam Adebayo. The quintet makes up Miami's most-used starting lineup this season.

Butler's agent, Bernard Lee, announced the 35-year-old's return earlier Friday by mimicking Michael Jordan's infamous 1995 press release.

"You're looking for drama. I'm looking for getting this team ready to play at a high level," coach Erik Spoelstra said pregame, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

Some members of the Heat were dreading Butler's return, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

They're reportedly concerned about what Butler could do and the impact any resulting chaos would have on the team's environment.

Players, coaches, and staff members are apparently tired of Butler's antics during the ongoing standoff between himself and the team. However, one source close to Butler told Shelburne that "Jimmy hasn't even really started."

"I don't know how he can come back to this locker room," a source close to the team told Shelburne.

"We don't want him back," a different individual said.

The Heat suspended the six-time All-Star on Jan. 3 for "multiple" instances of conduct detrimental to the team.

Butler claimed he had lost his "joy" playing basketball after that Jan. 2 loss. He also said he probably wouldn't find it again with the Heat.

Butler hasn't publicly demanded a trade, but he reportedly requested a move during a face-to-face meeting with Heat president of basketball operations Pat Riley. He apparently intends to use his upcoming $52-million player option as a trade maneuver.

"There's an expectation of how we compete and how we compete for each other," Spoelstra said six days after Butler's suspension was announced, according to Shelburne. "Off the court, there's a level of professionalism and a standard there."

The head coach continued: "We're not for everyone. Some people are drawn to it, some people aren't. We're not making apologies for it."

Butler is having his worst statistical season since joining Miami in the 2019 offseason, averaging 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 22 games.

Herro, the Heat's leading scorer, believes the team rallied around one another in Butler's absence.

"We've got enough, and that's all that matters," he said last week.

Miami went 3-4 without Butler and sit eighth in the Eastern Conference.