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Heat Suspend Jimmy Butler Seven Games

January 3rd, 2025 at 9:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

9:19PM: The NBPA has issued a statement (Twitter link) criticizing Butler’s suspension, and confirming that it intends to file a grievance.

“The seven-game suspension imposed tonight by the Miami Heat on Jimmy Butler is excessive and inappropriate, and we intend to file a grievance challenging the discipline,” the NBPA declared.

7:20 pm: The National Basketball Players Association intends to file a grievance to contest the Heat’s decision to suspend Butler for seven games, sources inform Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst of ESPN (via Twitter).

Due to how long it takes for the grievance process to play out, it will likely not prevent Butler from missing any of these games, but there’s a chance he could retroactively recoup some salary.

6:11 pm: The Heat have announced that they have suspended six-time All-Star forward Jimmy Butler for seven games as he continues to agitate for a trade (Twitter link).

“We have suspended Jimmy Butler for seven games for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks,” the team said in its statement.

“Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team. Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers.”

On Thursday, word broke that Butler had let Miami know he wants to be traded and that he’s open to being sent to any team. This news arrived on the heels of an initial report on Christmas that Butler preferred a trade but hadn’t explicitly asked for one.

Team president Pat Riley announced just eight days ago that the Heat had zero intention of trading Butler this season. After Butler submitted a pair of passive, disengaged performances this week vs. New Orleans and Indiana and then asked to be dealt, the team appears to have changed its tune, indicating that it is very much open for business.

Butler has a $52.4MM player option for 2025/26 and has reportedly conveyed that he plans to decline that option to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. That and his $48.8MM salary for 2024/25, along with his age (35) and injury history, may make him difficult to trade.

The Warriors, Suns, Mavericks, and his hometown Rockets had been floated as Butler’s preferred landing spots in a deal, but the Heat figure to listen to any team that expresses interest.

The suspension will cost Butler $336,543 per game in salary, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. That’s 1/145th of his overall salary and will work out to a total of $2,355,798 over seven games.

Rockets’ Jabari Smith Fractures Hand In Practice

January 3rd, 2025 at 5:29pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. fractured his left hand during Friday’s shootaround, the team announced today (Twitter link via Shams Charania of ESPN).

The 6’11” big is expected to be sidelined for four-to-eight weeks, according to the Rockets.

The 21-year-old is averaging 11.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 blocks per game this season across 33 contests, all starts. He has registered .435/.354/.867 shooting splits.

Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle reports that Smith will have to undergo surgery to address the break in his non-shooting hand. The timing of that procedure hinges on the club getting another opinion on the injury, which will help Houston determine the severity.

With Smith sidelined during a critical part of the 2024/25 season, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka may look to replace the Auburn product with a defensive-oriented reserve forward like Tari Eason or Amen Thompson.

At 22-11 on the year, the Rockets currently occupy the Western Conference’s No. 3 overall seed, and are just a half-game behind the second-seeded Grizzlies.

Nets’ Maxwell Lewis Diagnosed With Fractured Tibia

January 3rd, 2025 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Second-year forward Maxwell Lewis has been diagnosed with a fractured left tibia, the Nets announced today (Twitter link via Marc J. Spears of Andscape).

According to the team, Lewis’ status will be updated again in four weeks, so he’ll be out for at least the rest of January and likely beyond that. However, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) that the injury isn’t expected to be season-ending.

Lewis suffered the injury in Wednesday’s game at Toronto when he got tangled up with Raptors center Jakob Poeltl as he backpedaled toward his basket after making a three-pointer (Twitter video link). It occurred in his first game as a Net after being sent to Brooklyn as part of the Dorian Finney-Smith trade over the weekend.

It’s a disappointing turn of events for a player who seemed likely to play a little more for a rebuilding Nets squad after not seeing much action for the Lakers since the start of last season.

The No. 40 overall pick in the 2023 draft, Lewis appeared in 41 games for the Lakers across a season-and-a-half, scoring 15 points on 6-of-27 shooting in 132 total minutes during his time in Los Angeles. He logged just 1:05 with the Nets before going down with his leg injury.

Timberwolves Claim Tristen Newton, Waive Daishen Nix

January 3rd, 2025 at 4:20pm CST by Luke Adams

JANUARY 3: The Timberwolves have officially confirmed the moves in a press release.

JANUARY 2: The Timberwolves have claimed shooting guard Tristen Newton off waivers, cutting guard Daishen Nix to create room on their roster for the newcomer, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype first reported (via Twitter) that Minnesota was claiming Newton, who was waived on Wednesday by the Pacers. At the time of Newton’s release, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files indicated that the rookie guard had asked Indiana to let him go.

The 49th overall pick in the 2024 draft out of UConn, Newton logged just eight total minutes across five appearances for the Pacers this season after signing a two-way contract with the club in July.

He has spent most of his rookie year to date with the Indiana Mad Ants, the Pacers’ G League affiliate, averaging 16.4 points, 6.7 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 35.8 minutes per game across 14 total Tip-Off Tournament and regular season outings. His shooting line for the Mad Ants was .401/.396/.692.

Newton will remain on his two-way contract with the Timberwolves, who now control his NBA rights and could convert him to the 15-man roster or negotiate a longer-term standard deal with him later in the season, if they so choose. If he plays out the rest of the 2024/25 campaign on his two-way pact, he’ll be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer.

As for Nix, he’s in his final year of two-way eligibility after having spent four seasons with the Rockets and Timberwolves from 2021-25. He has appeared in just three games for Minnesota so far this season after making 96 total NBA appearances across his first three seasons.

Like Newton, Nix has seen more action in the G League, averaging 22.1 PPG, 7.3 APG, 5.0 RPG, and 2.9 SPG in 10 games in the Tip-Off Tournament. He recently missed time due to an ankle sprain.

Hawks’ Larry Nance Jr. Undergoes Hand Surgery

January 3rd, 2025 at 4:06pm CST by Rory Maher

JANUARY 3: Nance underwent surgery on Thursday to repair the fourth metacarpal bone in his right hand, the Hawks announced today in a press release. According to the team, the plan is to reevaluate Nance in two weeks and provide an updated recovery timeline at that time.

DECEMBER 30: Hawks big man Larry Nance Jr., who sustained a right hand injury in Saturday’s win over Miami, has been diagnosed with a fractured fourth metacarpal bone, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).

Nance will undergo hand surgery on Thursday to repair the fracture. A return timeline will be provided post-surgery, per the Hawks.

A 10-year veteran, Nance was traded to Atlanta in the offseason. The 31-year-old’s role has been fairly modest in his first season with the Hawks, as he’s largely been the third-string center behind Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu. He has been quite productive when called upon, averaging 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals on .585/.520/.875 shooting in 15 games (19.4 minutes per contest).

Nance had received regular playing time over his past five games — including Saturday’s victory — with Okongwu out due to left knee inflammation. Over that span, he averaged 11.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.4 SPG and 1.6 BPG on .525/.476/1.000 shooting in 25.2 MPG.

It’s unfortunate news for Nance, who has dealt with a number of injuries throughout his career. Lauded for his locker room presence, the veteran forward/center has seen his name pop up in at least one trade rumor in 2024/25.

Nance is playing on an expiring $11.2MM contract, meaning he’ll be a free agent in 2025 unless he signs a veteran extension, which he’s eligible for through June 30.

On a more positive note for the Hawks, Okongwu was able to return to action in Sunday’s blowout victory in Toronto, posting 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, four rebounds, two steals and one block in 18 minutes. The 24-year-old will almost certainly continue to split minutes with Capela, but Nance’s absence leaves Atlanta a little thin in the frontcourt, particularly if another injury were to occur.

The Hawks started out the season with a 7-11 record, but have gone 11-4 since. They’re riding a four-game winning streak and are currently 18-15, the No. 5 seed in the East.

Blazers’ Anfernee Simons Admits Difficult “Mental Battle,” But Won’t Request Trade

January 3rd, 2025 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Years of losing seem to be taking their toll on Trail Blazers shooting guard Anfernee Simons, who tells Jason Quick of The Athletic that he’s going through “the hardest mental battle I’ve had in my career.”

Quick notes that the 11-22 Blazers are in the midst of their fourth straight season where they’re placing more emphasis on maximizing their lottery odds than trying to compete. This is Simons’ seventh year in the NBA, so unlike most of Portland’s roster he remembers when making the playoffs was taken for granted.

“It’s been hard as hell,’’ he said. “I be having my bad days. I’m like anybody else. I call them my ‘human days,’ when I let things get to me a little bit. Obviously, it has had an effect on my game. That’s what I’m trying to get out of.’’

The grind of being overmatched most nights appears to be catching up with Simons, who’s suffering through his worst season since he became a starter four years ago. He’s shooting 41.5% from the field and 33.5% from three-point range — down significantly from last year and the second-worst percentages of his career in both categories.

Quick notes that Simons has often seemed to be “distracted and disconnected” on the court as though he has become numb to the constant losing. Coach Chauncey Billups stated that he began noticing the change last season.

“We’ve talked about it, and my talks with Ant will be with Ant, but yes, I see it,’’ Billups said. “It was last year, too. We had some good, long talks over the summer, things that were bothering him, and things I could help him with. So, it hasn’t been a just-now thing. It’s been over time.’’

Simons added that despite any frustrations he has with the organization, he doesn’t plan to ask for a trade. He mentioned two “very light” conversations with general manager Joe Cronin this season in which Cronin sought his input about the team’s progress. Despite his longevity in Portland and his potential trade value, Simons doesn’t believe he’s earned the right to ask for a deal.

“I can say how I feel, but I don’t think I’m in that position,’’ he said. “There’s only a few players who can go in there and make (demands). I don’t think that’s my job. My job is to go out and play. If it’s something that serious, I would let my agent take care of it. But you think about what you want out of your career, and stuff like that, and I figure it’s going to happen when it’s supposed to. I’m not going to make any irrational decisions on stuff like that.’’

Quick points out that Simons’ situation is one of the negative side effects of repeatedly trying to rebuild through the draft. The team has a .316 winning percentage since Cronin took over as GM, and it doesn’t appear to be heading in a positive direction despite adding Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan with top-seven picks over the last three years.

Quick adds that the Blazers have already lost 10 times this season by 20 or more points, including embarrassing home defeats by 45 points against Memphis and 42 points against Utah.

Simons is under contract for one more season at $27.7MM and will become a free agent in the summer of 2026 if he and the team don’t work out an extension. He would have plenty of leverage if he decides to force his way out of Portland, but his preference is to remain with the team and build it into a winner again.

“It’s hard to explain it; some things just don’t feel right,’’ Simons said. “It could be a bit of everything. I’m not going to point out one thing. Ultimately, I gotta do what I gotta do, and get out of my funk and figure out ways to overcome it. Ultimately, this is a test of faith, and a test of mental toughness and what I’m going to do to get myself out of this feeling.’’

Jimmy Butler Tells Heat He Wants Trade

January 2nd, 2025 at 10:22pm CST by Luke Adams

10:22pm: Butler has indicated to the Heat that he wants to be traded, according to Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

Although Charania previously identified the Suns, Warriors, Mavericks, and Rockets as favored landing spots for Butler, he and Windhorst now say the forward doesn’t intend to give the Heat a list of preferred destinations and that he’s open to going anywhere.

Butler, who plans to take part in team activities and do what the Heat ask of him during the process, believes he can make any team a contender, regardless of where he’s sent, sources tell ESPN.

According to Charania and Windhorst, Riley and Heat owner Micky Arison have met with Butler’s representation in recent days in the hopes of bridging the divide between the two sides, but those efforts weren’t successful.

Confirming previous reports, ESPN’s duo says there has been tension between Butler and the Heat since the team indicated near the start of the offseason that it wouldn’t be offering him an extension and since Riley scolded Butler for his claim that the Celtics and Knicks would “be at home” if he had been able to play in the postseason. Riley and Butler’s relationship has yet to recover, sources tell ESPN.

9:54pm: For a second straight night after returning from a five-game absence, Heat star Jimmy Butler appeared passive and disengaged during his time on the court on Thursday, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Butler has totaled just 18 points on 11 shot attempts across Miami’s past two games, spending much of his time in the corner without the ball in his hands. While his quiet night didn’t prevent the Heat from picking up a win over New Orleans on Wednesday, the club was beaten soundly by Indiana on Thursday and Butler was a team-worst minus-27 in his 27 minutes of action.

Speaking to reporters after Thursday’s loss, head coach Erik Spoelstra referred to Butler’s performances as “aberrational,” suggesting that he was more concerned about his club’s poor defensive play, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter links). Spoelstra added that the team needed to get the ball into Butler’s hands more to get him going, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

Butler’s demeanor is being monitored closely since a Christmas Day report indicated he preferred a trade out of Miami and Heat president Pat Riley announced a day later that the club wouldn’t be moving the 35-year-old. When he rejoined the team on Tuesday, Butler told reporters that he was “happy” and intended to make the most out of his current situation. However, he didn’t exactly strike the same tone in his post-game media session on Thursday.

“I feel like I did my job, or what at least my job is now,” Butler said when asked about his performance (Twitter video link via Wes Goldberg of Locked on Heat). When a reporter mentioned Spoelstra’s comments about getting the ball in his hands more, Butler shook his head and replied, “That ain’t gonna fix it.”

“I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball,” Butler said when asked what he wants to see happen next. “Wherever that may be. We’ll find out here pretty soon. But I want to get my joy back. I’m happy here off the court, but… I want to hoop and I want to help this team win. Right now I’m not doing that.”

Asked by a reporter if he can get his on-court joy back in Miami, Butler responded, “Probably not.”

The Heat, who were said to be underwhelmed by their options for Butler on the trade market, had hoped to put the issue to bed when Riley said in a statement last Thursday that the six-time All-Star wouldn’t be going anywhere. The goal at that point was to focus on the current season and wait until the summer to figure out Butler’s future. He holds a $52.4MM player option for 2025/26 that he reportedly plans to decline.

However, given how the last two games – and Butler’s latest media session – have gone, it’s getting increasingly more difficult to imagine him being content with playing out the season in Miami. With five weeks still to go until the February 6 trade deadline, the Heat front office figures to be weighing its next move.

Jaren Jackson Jr., Evan Mobley Named Defensive Players Of The Month

January 2nd, 2025 at 3:50pm CST by Rory Maher

Grizzlies forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. has been named the Western Conference’s Defensive Player of the Month for games played in December, while Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley has claimed the award in the East, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, Jackson averaged 22.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocks in 28.7 minutes per game over 14 appearances last month. He posted a shooting line of .464/.384/.780.

Jackson was the only player in the NBA to have 20-plus steals and 20-plus blocks last month, per the league, with Memphis ranking third in the West in defensive rating over that stretch.

Mobley, who made the All-Defensive First Team alongside Jackson in 2023, averaged 18.8 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.0 SPG and 1.3 BPG on .589/.524/.696 shooting 12 December games (28.9 MPG). The Cavs led the East in defensive rating last month. Mobley was tied for second in the East in contested shots per game in December (10.0).

The Cavaliers, who have won eight straight and hold the best record in the league (29-4), have the NBA’s top offense and eighth-best defense. Memphis, which has the second-best record in the West at 23-11, ranks fifth and fourth in those categories, respectively.

Jackson beat out Toumani Camara, Anthony Davis, Kris Dunn, Walker Kessler and Victor Wembanyama in the West. The other nominees in the East were Bam Adebayo, OG Anunoby, Dyson Daniels and Jalen Suggs (Twitter link).

Wembanyama and Daniels won the awards for games played in October and November. This is the first season in which the monthly defensive honors have been given.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Towns Named Players Of The Month

January 2nd, 2025 at 3:20pm CST by Rory Maher

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns have been named the NBA’s Players of the Month, the league announced on Thursday (via Twitter). Gilgeous-Alexander won the award for the Western Conference, while Towns was the East’s winner.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the West’s reigning Player of the Week, has claimed the monthly award for the second straight time, having also won for games played in October and November. The 26-year-old put up superlative stats in leading Oklahoma City to a 12-1 record last month, averaging 33.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.2 blocks on .563/.366/.910 shooting in 13 games (34.5 minutes per contest).

Winners of 12 straight, the Thunder are off to their best start in franchise history and are currently 27-5, the top seed in the West. Only the 29-4 Cavaliers have a better record.

Towns helped lead the Knicks to a 12-1 record in games he played last month, with New York losing the lone contest he missed. He had an excellent month himself, averaging 23.2 PPG, 14.6 RPG, 3.3 APG and 1.1 BPG on .566/.390/.813 shooting in his 13 appearances (34.6 MPG).

The Knicks, who have won nine straight games, are currently 24-10, the No. 3 seed in the West. They’re a half-game behind Boston for the No. 2 spot.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Kyrie Irving, Jaren Jackson Jr., LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Norman Powell, Alperen Sengun and Victor Wembanyama. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Towns’ teammate Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Haliburton, Tyler Herro, Jalen Johnson, Trae Young, Tyrese Maxey and Donovan Mitchell were nominated in the East.

Yves Missi, Alex Sarr Named Rookies Of The Month

January 2nd, 2025 at 2:21pm CST by Rory Maher

A pair of big men have been named the NBA’s Rookies of the Month for games played in December, the league announced on Thursday (via Twitter). Pelicans center Yves Missi won the award for the Western Conference, while Wizards forward/center Alex Sarr has claimed the award in the East.

The No. 21 overall pick of last June’s draft, Missi has been one of the few consistent bright spots amid an injury-plagued season in New Orleans. The 20-year-old averaged 11.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 30.8 minutes per game across his 13 appearances last month, shooting 57.1% from the field and 66.7% from the free throw line.

Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick in 2024, struggled with his shot over his first month-plus of NBA action, but he kept firing away and his results have improved pretty dramatically of late. He averaged 13.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.1 APG and 1.7 BPG on .461/.455/.556 shooting in nine December games (28.4 MPG).

Unlike some other weekly and monthly awards, team record doesn’t matter much for rookies, who often receive the most opportunities on bad teams. The Pelicans currently have the worst record in the league at 5-29, with Washington at No. 2 in the reverse standings (6-25).

Missi beat out Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells to win the award in the West. Carlton Carrington, Tristan Da Silva and Zaccharie Risacher were the other nominees in the East (Twitter link). Wells and Jared McCain won the awards for games played in October and November (McCain subsequently suffered a torn left meniscus and is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery).

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