The Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler is literally at the crossroads of his future with the Florida team. The 35-year-old, who was expected to sign a contract extension in the summer, couldn’t crack a deal with the side. This leaves the star with only one season remaining in the current contract, putting him on the spot to deliver no matter what. Amid this heavy baggage on the shoulder, the Heat are all set to play their preseason opener tonight against the Hornets. Is Butler playing tonight?

The Florida side is one of the unfortunate teams in the NBA world, falling prey to injury mishaps. Last season, the team made a dramatic entry into the postseason, but at the same time, Jimmy Buckets suffered a sprain in his MCL. The team ultimately exited after the first round. Now, the team starts with a stacked injury report heading into the fresh season.

As per Brady Hawk, a lead reporter, the team presently has Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Tyler Herro ruled out of the scrimmage because of groin strains. Moreover, ESPN listed the duo in the Questionable category with groin strains. Apart from them, the team also listed guard Josh Richardson under Questionable category with a shoulder injury. So, it’s clear there’s a possibility of witnessing both Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in tonight’s game.

On the other hand, the Hornets have a clean injury report. So the Charlotte side will head into their second preseason game with a fully healthy roster. In their first preseason encounter, the team went after the new Knicks side and suffered a 109-111 loss. However, on the brighter side, the team finally had LaMelo Ball suited for the game after recovering from an ankle injury. Now, the team will look to close their second game with a win.

Jimmy Butler & Co: Starting lineup and depth chart vs Hornets

With Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. questionable for the game, the Heat rotation will definitely have an impact. Well, at least for the first two quarters. Herro, Richardson, and Triple J, the team’s trusted guard out of the action, Eric Spoelstra will have to trust Duncan Robinson and Alec Burks for the backcourt. So, this is what the team’s starting line and depth chart look like after the injury report.

On the other hand, the Charlotte Hornets starting lineup will look like LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Josh Green, Miles Bridges, and Mark Williams. Moreover, considering the seriousness of this season, Jimmy Butler would look to get off to a flying start.

Speaking at Media Day, he said, “I guess I gotta go out there and I gotta hoop… I need to show that I’m a key factor in winning. I’ve done it before, and this year will be no different. It’s going to be a great season for me and for the team. When the time comes, things will fall into place.” So, we might see a Jimmy firepower tonight. What do you think?

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.