False start: Jimmy Butler out for Heat’s opener vs. Grizzlies for personal reasons
The start of the Jimmy Butler era for the Miami Heat will have to wait a few more days.
Butler, the Heat’s prized offseason acquisition, will not play in Miami’s season opener Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzles for personal reasons, Erik Spoelstra announced in his pregame press conference at AmericanAirlines Arena.
“Jimmy is not going to be here tonight. It’s for personal reasons,” the coach said. “Everything is fine. Everything is good. He won’t be here tonight. Everybody else that we talked about this morning is ready to go.”
A reason for Butler’s absence was not specified by Spoelstra and he declined to say whether the wing is expected back Saturday when the Heat plays its second game on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Butler did participate in shootaround earlier in the day, Spoelstra said, but a personal matter arose later in the afternoon which required him to be away from the team for the opener.
“In the last couple hours,” Spoelstra said when asked when the team found out about Butler’s absence. “Everything is fine. It’s all good.”
The four-time All-Star played in three of Miami’s first four preseason games, sitting out the finale Friday against the Houston Rockets. With Butler out, the Heat opted to start two rookies for the season opener. Point guard Kendrick Nunn and shooting guard Tyler Herro are joined by power forward Justise Winslow, and post players Meyers Leonard and Bam Adebayo.
Butler’s absence leaves Miami particularly shorthanded at small forward. Wing Dion Waiters is currently serving a one-game suspension and forward James Johnson is being held out for conditioning reasons.
The Heat will also be without Udonis Haslem for the 7:30 p.m. tipoff. The power forward participated in shootaround earlier in the day, but is still dealing with a wrist injury, which kept him out for the end of the preseason. Miami, however, is able to dress point guard Daryl Macon and power forward Chris Silva. The Heat’s two players on two-way contracts will be with the team until the NBA G League season begins and they report to the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
This story was originally published October 23, 2019 at 6:02 PM.
