Heat swingman Jimmy Butler, who continues to battle a right foot injury, has been ruled out for Saturday’s matchup with Phoenix, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link). It will be the third consecutive game that Butler has missed.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said on Thursday that Butler underwent both an MRI and an X-ray on the foot, which revealed no structural damage, per Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The hope for now is that rest is the best treatment for the All-Star wing.
“Jimmy had his final scan yesterday. And we understand what he’s dealing with,” agent Bernie Lee told The Herald. “And he’s working his butt off to get back on the floor ASAP and to be ready for the playoffs.”
The postseason isn’t scheduled to begin until August 17, so Butler has another 10 days to work his way back from the injury, which is mostly affecting his right ankle, according to Jackson and Chiang.
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- In the wake of Jonathan Isaac‘s season-ending ACL tear, Josh Robbins and John Hollinger of The Athletic examine how the injury will affect Isaac and the Magic going forward. Hollinger believes Isaac’s long-term All-Star potential still exists, but says the young forward now has a “longer, less certain pathway” to reaching that ceiling.
- After a series of conversations with sources and draft experts, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic takes a shot at filling out the top of the Hawks‘ draft board. Kirschner has Anthony Edwards at No. 1, followed by Deni Avdija, Isaac Okoro, Tyrese Haliburton, LaMelo Ball, Devin Vassell, Killian Hayes, and Onyeka Okongwu.
- Limits on team traveling parties mean that the Heat don’t have all their coaches and top executives with them at Walt Disney World, but head coach Erik Spoelstra said this week that he’s getting “daily notes” from president Pat Riley and other members of the organization, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel details.
Warriors and Hawks have a deal in place depend on draft order
Knicks fall in love with Ball but keep quiet
No source of course
Knicks are not too quiet about Ball
I think Davis would be stupid to leave Lakers for the hopeless Knicks or bulls but if heat with their max cap space show interest what basketball reason does staying with Lakers over heat make ? They might not even show interest though bc they incorrectly think they will get Giannis ! No get AD the easier target
Knicks will be much better team than Lakers after signing Davis
Do not forget Knicks have bigger cap space and 6 first round picks next 3 years
Knicks don’t even know if you can win with rj and Mitchell , he’s not gonna join them to find out ! If he wanted to be on a young up and coming team he could have played with Zion ! Knicks where also only on his list when they thought they where gonna get at least one of Kemba kyrie or kd ! Not some lotto picks ! Knicks are years away from attracting star free agents
Now the heat have max cap space , the perfect center for him since he doesn’t want to play center a,some of the best shooting in the league Plus whatever is left of butler and most of all a winning organization and culture ! Calling it now as a non heat fan AD to the heat
Hawks should make a big play with GSW for the first overall pick.
Give up Kevin Hueter who would be a great back up behind Klay Thompson. Give up Dwayne Dedmon for the Trade Exception and then lastly give up your pick which is 4th overall.
Go get Trae Young a solid backcourt sidekick in Anthony Edwards to elevate the team into playoff contention. Edwards is also born and raised in Atlanta having gone to high school and college there. He would love to represent his home town and where he is from.
With Dedmon off the books also you have created some money to spend in Free Agency. I’d suggest bringing back Jeff Teague who would be a good vet and lead that second unit. Also bring in Derrick Favours and Jae Crowder who are also both born in Atlanta. Favours went to both high school and college in Atlanta and Crowder went to high school and did 1 year of college before transferring away. Both would be cheap but solid vets to add to this young team. Both have experienced and would help hugely on defence in particular.
1. Trae Young. Jeff Teague
2. Anthony Edwards. Cam Reddish
3. Jae Crowder. DeAndre Hunter
4. John Collins. Derrick Favours
5. Clint Capela. Bruno Fernando
Young gives you a high scoring, good passing and lots of shooting. Edwards is a solid two way player and gives you 15+ points. Crowder won’t score heaps but will play good defence and will add some spacing. Collins is a walking 20:10 machine and Capela gives you blocks and rebounds. Off the bench you have Teague leading that unit, Reddish as a shooter, Hunter another good defender and Favours a solid big man who can do it all.
Minimum annual team salary is 99 million
You only spend 70 million
Collins salary is 4 million
Collins gets a big extension, Favours cost, Teague cost Crowder cost Capela cost and the first overall pick will cost. Then next season Trae Young gets an exension
I personally don’t think we can win a championship with John Collins and I don’t TRUST Clint capela foot injury so I would trade John Collins to the warriors and dewayne dedmon for their first round pick and Andrew Wiggins and if throw in huerter then I need a lottery PROTECT pick I would draft Wiseman’s trade my other pick to new York for Randall and another first round pick then I would draft Devin vaessar out of Florida state. My starting 5 would be tra young Wiggins hunter Clint capela and randall.