Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler returned from a seven-game suspension as his team lost 133-113 to the Denver Nuggets.
The 35-year-old man was sidelined earlier this month by the Heat due to “conduct detrimental to the team” and requested a trade.
Although the Heat initially said they would not make Butler available for trade, they later said they would listen to offers for the six-time NBA All-Star.
However, Butler remains with the Heat and scored 18 points and played 33 minutes in Friday’s loss at Florida.
Less than two hours before the alert, Butler said “I’m back” in a statement posted to social media by his agent Bernie O. Lee. The statement said it was in response to questions about Butler’s career plans.
After the game, he answered questions in his locker while wearing Chicago Bulls jersey number 45 – the number worn by Michael Jordan upon his return from his first retirement.
“Everybody said a lot of things except me, to tell you the truth,” Butler said of the suspension.
“So we’ll let people keep talking like they know everything and have all the answers. And then, sooner or later, the whole truth will come out.
“But until then, we’ll continue to let people talk. If I’m there, I’ll go out and play.”
Of his teammates, Butler said, “It felt good to go out and compete and run with those guys.
“As much as anyone might think, I don’t have a problem with these guys. These guys are cool. They’re my friends. My problem is not with them, never will be and never will be. never been.”
Butler, who previously played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls, joined the Heat in 2019 and made 378 NBA appearances for them.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers overcame the absence of forward Anthony Davis to beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-101.
Davis missed his second game of the month with a lingering foot issue, but Austin Reaves scored a career-high 38 points while LeBron James had 29 points and eight assists.
Although the Lakers led 100-92 with three minutes, 45 seconds left, Brooklyn came back and a three-pointer from Noah Clowney made it a one-point game with 37 seconds left.
Reaves missed a jump shot before former Laker D’Angelo Russell was off target with a potential game-winning three-pointer with three seconds left.
