Jimmy Butler did not travel with the Miami Heat to Orlando...
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Butler, 35, is doubtful for Thursday’s game in Orlando because of what the team has listed as “return to competition reconditioning” after missing the previous two games with a stomach illness.
...nobody has denied that he is unhappy. Butler’s relationship with the team has become somewhat strained in recent months.
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According to multiple sources, Butler has been disappointed with the Heat primarily because Miami declined to give him a two-year, $113 million contract extension this past summer, a deal that would have run through the 2026-27 season. ...
After the Heat did not quickly agree to an extension this past offseason, Butler decided to play out this season and exercise his option to become a free agent this upcoming summer. That remains his intention, sources said.
