The Miami Heat have been dealing with their share of chaos lately, with team drama hanging over everything. Jimmy Butler’s suspension has had rippling effects throughout the roster. The so-called veteran finally made his highly anticipated return on Friday night, though it came in a tough 133-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets. His first game back in the NBA he couldn’t please coach Erik Spoelstra, but hey, sometimes that’s just how it goes when you’re trying to shake off a break.

That’s what you’d think, but his second game also did not go as planned… Just before Sunday’s game against the Spurs, Erik Spoelstra had emphasized how important it was to keep pushing for more from his key player. “We definitely want him to be aggressive,” the Heat head coach said. “That’s something we’ll build on, for sure.”

Yeah, that didn’t happen. His performance didn’t help- just eight points, three rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks in 28 minutes. He shot 3/7 from the field and missed his only three-point attempt. The Heat cruised to a 128-107 win over the Spurs, but it wasn’t the scoreline that caught everyone’s attention—it was Jimmy Butler’s unusual behavior on the bench.

Despite the big win, the six-time All-Star wasn’t celebrating. Instead, fans spotted Butler doing a small golf clap as the game wound down, looking less than thrilled. Coach Spo also shook things up with a new look for the Heat, introducing a frontcourt combination of Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware.

Spoelstra after the game, spoke about the versatility this pairing brings to the table, emphasizing their dynamic defensive skills: “Obviously, they’re both dynamic defensive players. It gives us more versatility, more ability to make things tough. I think we’re at a point that I’ll start to do that if I feel like it’ll help, especially in those end-of-quarter situations.”

Ware made an immediate impact off the bench. The rookie center finished with a team-high 25 points, shooting 10-of-19 from the field, including 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. He also contributed eight rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in 34 minutes of action. But the most telling stat? The Heat outscored the Spurs by an impressive 27 points with Ware on the court!

Looks like he’s going to be a mainstay with Butler’s future uncertain at Miami.

One of Jimmy Butler’s former franchises could help him leave Miami…

Marc Stein suggests that the Minnesota Timberwolves could be part of the Jimmy Buckets trade equation—but not in the way you might think. The Wolves aren’t looking to add JB to their roster. Instead, they could help facilitate a trade that sends him elsewhere.

For context, Butler’s requested a trade from the Heat, and a deal could involve multiple teams, potentially three or even four, to make the finances work. So, what’s Minnesota’s role? Well, they might jump in as the middleman, aiming to gain some draft capital or improve their financial situation.

Stein mentions that “about half the league” has shown interest in helping the Heat get this deal done, with the Minnesota side reportedly among them. But they wouldn’t be the ones getting Butler back. Remember, his time in Wolves was short and tumultuous—after joining them from Chicago in 2017, Jimmy Butler helped them end a 14-year playoff drought, but by 2018, the hoopster was forcing his way out. He landed in Philadelphia before finding his current home in Miami.

So, while the Timberwolves might help facilitate Jimmy Butler’s departure from Miami, they obviously won’t be rushing to bring him back. Interesting, right? It’s one of those moves that might pay off for Minnesota in the long run. Let’s see how it unfolds!