Embattled six-time All-Star Miami Heat small forward Jimmy Butler has had a patchy go of it lately.

After failing to reach an agreement on a potential maximum contract extension over the summer with Miami brass, the relationship between Butler and the rest of the Heat got icy.

When word leaked that Butler was hoping to get traded away from the Heat — with the Dallas Mavericks, his hometown Houston Rockets, the Golden State Warriors, and the Phoenix Suns initially cited as his preferred destinations — the situation at one point became so pervasive around the NBA media landscape earlier this season that longtime Miami team president Pat Riley issued a statement insisting the Heat would not be trading their best player this season.

Read More: Pat Riley Releases Statement on Jimmy Butler Trade Rumors

Per James Jackson of The Athletic, the money is not the only reason Butler has cooled on the Heat.

Jackson reports that a source informed him another big Butler grievance stems over the Heat’s team-building efforts, despite his leading the club to two Finals in four seasons.

Per Jackson, Butler was specifically irked by the big 2023 off-season swings taken by two major Eastern Conference nemeses in particular.

Jackson specifically cites the Boston Celtics’ trades for center Kristaps Porzingis and guard Jrue Holiday which resulted in an instant title, and the Milwaukee Bucks’ deal for All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, moves that Jackson observes were far bolder than the Heat’s summer signings of center Thomas Bryant and shooting guard Josh Richardson.

Soon after Riley’s official statement on the Butler situation, further reports emerged that Butler was suddenly amenable to being traded to “anywhere,” so long as he didn’t remain with the Miami Heat through the rest of 2024-25. The deadline this season falls on Feb. 6.

Read More: Heat Star Jimmy Butler Requests Trade ‘Anywhere’ But Miami

That was the last straw for Riley and the Heat, who quickly suspended him for seven games, and revealed in a statement that they were open to trading the five-time All-NBA honoree.

Read More: Heat Star Jimmy Butler Suspended Multiple Games For Conduct Detrimental to Team

Butler made his return to action on Thursday, in an eventual 133-113 smackdown by the Denver Nuggets.

In 33 minutes against his 2023 NBA Finals opponents, he scored 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the floor (0-of-2 from deep) and 4-of-4 shooting from the foul line, three rebounds, and two assists.

Read More: Latest Jimmy Butler, Pat Riley Heat Meeting Can’t Fix What’s Already Broken in Miami

When healthy and engaged, the 6-foot-7 swingman remains a lethal force on both sides of the hardwood. Across 23 contests for Miami so far this year, Butler is averaging 17.6 points on .547/.353/.794 shooting splits, 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals a night.

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