Jimmy Butler not listed on Heat injury report with suspension set to end Friday

Jimmy Butler is expected to play for Miami again Friday when it hosts the Denver Nuggets, a game that would be his first since the Heat confirmed that he wants a trade and that they are trying to accommodate that request.

Butler was suspended by the Heat for their most recent seven games, the club citing conduct that it deemed detrimental to the team. Miami went 3-4 in those contests.

And when the suspension was issued, it wasn't clear if Butler would play for Miami ever again. But with no trade in place — and evidently without one in the foreseeable future, either — the Heat did not list Butler on their injury report for the game with the Nuggets.

In short, if he's not on that list, it means the Heat expect Butler to play.

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Butler was not with the team on its six-game road trip to Sacramento, Golden State, Utah, Portland and then Los Angeles for games against both the Clippers and Lakers. The Heat did not practice Thursday and were planning a walk-through Friday afternoon before the Denver game.

Butler was expected to meet with some team officials Thursday and Friday. It's likely that he will also meet with coach Erik Spoelstra, given comments Butler made in his most recent session with reporters after a loss to Indiana on Jan. 2. He expressed frustration with his role and said he's lost his on-court "joy" in Miami.

"What do I want to see happen? I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball, wherever that may be — we'll find out here pretty soon," Butler said. "I want to get my joy back. I'm happy here, off the court, but I want to be back to somewhere dominant. I want to hoop and I want to help this team win. Right now, I'm not doing that."

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