Heat focused on 'who's with us' in wake of Butler suspension - ESPN

MIAMI — As Jimmy Butler is set to serve out the first game of his team-issued suspension Saturday against the Utah Jazz, the Miami Heat are looking to move forward, with team captain Bam Adebayo saying the group is «focused on who's with us now.»

Butler was suspended seven games over what the Heat called conduct detrimental to the team; Miami has said it is listening to trade offers.

«It's disappointing when you see the organization and a player going head-to-head like that,» Adebayo said Saturday after the team's shootaround practice. «But the rest of us got to figure out how to win games.»

Butler has not commented publicly on the suspension. The National Basketball Players Association spoke out on Butler's behalf hours after the Heat announced the suspension Friday, saying it believes the team's actions are «excessive and inappropriate.» The suspension could cost Butler about $2.4 million of his $48.8 million salary this season.

«It's none of our business,» Adebayo said. «It's for Jimmy and for the management to handle.»

How it gets handled from here, and on what time frame, is anyone's guess.

Trading Butler will be a challenge in this new NBA world, with the rules of the collective bargaining agreement limiting the ways teams can acquire players. It's possible, but it's far from certain. And the Heat simply letting Butler leave as a free agent this summer — Butler has a player option for next season — also remains a possibility, as it could open up some other avenues for Miami to acquire new players.

«It sucks to see that he won't be around,» Heat guard Terry Rozier said.

Butler averaged 21.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 380 games with the Heat, including playoffs. Entering Saturday, since Butler joined the