Heat say Jimmy Butler will miss 2 more games amid ongoing trade speculation

Jimmy Butler will not play in the final two games of Miami’s ongoing road trip while recovering from illness, the team said Friday.

That means Butler will not play Saturday at Atlanta or Sunday at Houston. The earliest he could play again is Wednesday at home against New Orleans.

Butler hasn’t played since the first quarter of Miami’s Dec. 20 game against Oklahoma City, when he twisted an ankle, left the game and then was ruled out because of illness. Miami has played three games since without Butler, two because of the illness and then Thursday’s win in Orlando with him back in Miami conditioning for a return.

He is not with the team on the road trip.

The Heat said Thursday that they are not going to trade Butler, that announcement coming after ESPN, citing sources, said the six-time All-Star would prefer to be moved before the trade deadline on Feb. 6.

Butler has not publicly expressed any desire to be traded. He is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists this season.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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