Miami Heat hope to avoid drama during visit from Utah Jazz in NBA
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The Miami Heat have confirmed that Jimmy Butler has requested a trade and that they will listen to offers.
PHOTO: AFP
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MIAMI – The Miami Heat are set to move forward with their National Basketball Association (NBA) schedule without Jimmy Butler, who was suspended for seven games ahead of their home clash against the Utah Jazz on Jan 4 (Jan 5, Singapore time).
Coming off a 128-115 loss at home to the Indiana Pacers on Jan 2, amid a rocky 17-15 season, the Heat will now try to overcome some in-house drama after suspending their star man for “conduct detrimental to the team”.
A night after Butler said he had lost the joy of playing in the NBA and was “probably not” going to find it by staying with Miami, the team took action for weeks of critical comments and talk of a trade.
“Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team,” the Heat said on Jan 3. “Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers.”
Butler, 35, is in the final year of a contract that pays him US$49 million (S$67.2 million) this season.
Despite the distractions, the Heat have won four of their past six games.
Butler did not play the fourth quarter in either of Miami’s games this week – a win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan 1 and the loss to Indiana. He scored nine points in each game.
The minimal production from him seemed to speak for itself, and the Heat will rely on shooting guard Tyler Herro, who leads the team in scoring at 24.1 points per game.
Butler is second with 17.6 points, and is tied for second in rebounds with 5.5 and is third in assists (4.7) and steals (1.2).
While Miami take pride in their defence, that hardly seemed to be the case against the Pacers, who shot 58.7 per cent in the first half and 53.1 per cent for the game.
The positive is that the Jazz have lost five straight games. Utah entered the weekend at 7-25 and tied for the fourth-worst record in the NBA. They are 5-13 on the road.
The Jazz’s current troubles can be traced to September 2022, when superstar guard Donovan Mitchell was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji and five draft picks.
Without Mitchell’s production on offence, Utah are on pace to miss the play-offs for the third straight year.
Mitchell is averaging 23.4 points for the Cavaliers, who have the best record in the NBA.
The Jazz have one of the youngest teams in the NBA, with five key players age 23 and younger – Walker Kessler, 23; Taylor Hendricks, 21; Keyonte George, 21; Isaiah Collier, 20; and Cody Williams, 20.
Hendricks, who was supposed to be Utah’s starting power forward, is out for the season due to injury, while George and Kessler are starters.
George leads Utah in assists (5.7), while Kessler tops the squad in rebounds (10.9) and blocks (2.7). Markkanen leads Utah with 19.5 points per game.
“It’s more about the legs,” Markkanen said of his new shooting form. “I’ve also added the ‘no-dip three’, where I’m not putting the ball down.” REUTERS, AFP
