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[Saba Sports News] The ongoing saga between Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat has taken another puzzling turn.
On Friday, the Heat announced that Butler will miss at least two more games—a back-to-back road set on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks and Sunday against the Houston Rockets.
This extends his absence to five consecutive games since leaving a Dec. 20 matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first quarter due to a stomach illness. Butler had also turned his ankle early in that game.
Initially sidelined due to the illness, Butler missed a Dec. 21 game against the Magic, followed by games on Dec. 23 against the Nets and Dec. 26 against the Magic for “conditioning” reasons.
Now, with Butler not even traveling with the team for their weekend road trip, questions about his prolonged absence are intensifying.
Adding fuel to the fire are widespread trade rumors. Reports surfaced on Christmas Day suggesting that Butler might prefer a trade from Miami before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. In response, Heat president Pat Riley issued a public statement to dismiss the speculation.
Still, the timing of Butler’s extended absence has raised eyebrows. Both Butler and the Heat have reasons to tread carefully—Butler to protect his trade value and the Heat to ensure they can secure a strong return package if a deal materializes.
Whether the current situation is a precautionary move or part of a larger narrative remains to be seen.