Jimmy Butler was expected to rejoin the Miami Heat in Orlando for its Friday afternoon flight to Atlanta ahead of Saturday's game against the Atlanta Hawks, but did not join the team. Butler remains in Miami and doing his "return to competition reconditioning" after missing time with a stomach illness.
Butler's status for the upcoming games against the Hawks and Houston Rockets remains up in the air. Butler has already missed eight of the Heat’s first 28 games this season. Miami is 4-4 in those games. Butler has averaged 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting a career-best 55.2 percent from the field in 20 games this season.
On Thursday, Pat Riley released a statement that the Heat were not going to trade Butler after it was reported he preferred to be moved by the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Butler's relationship with the Heat has become strained in recent months.