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Miami Heat Make Jimmy Butler Decision Before Denver Nuggets Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ryan Brooks | Last updated Jan 17, 2025 6:01 PM ET

Many teams across the NBA landscape have been linked to Jimmy Butler since he publicly requested a trade from the Miami Heat.

The club suspended him for seven games, and it was understood that Butler was going to be traded during that span, especially as the trade deadline is just a few weeks out.

The Denver Nuggets are among the teams who have been linked to a potential trade for Butler, too. They've got plenty of potential to secure another title while Nikola Jokic is in his prime, and a couple of seasons with Butler would certainly bolster their chances in that regard.

The Nuggets making a Butler trade would be unique and, albeit, quite difficult.

Heat make a Butler decision before Nuggets game

With Butler coming off his suspension, it's quite ironic that his first opponent could be the Nuggets. The Heat have made a decision regarding Butler ahead of the matchup, too, according to Chris Haynes.

"Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler will make his return tonight against Denver Nuggets after serving 7-game suspension and he’s expected to be in the starting lineup," Haynes reported.

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler will make his return tonight against Denver Nuggets after serving 7-game suspension and he’s expected to be in the starting lineup, sources tell @ChrisBHaynes. pic.twitter.com/fRpVaiEvGH
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 17, 2025

The Nuggets have been in good form as of late, though a Jokic absence led to a big loss to the Houston Rockets recently. Playing the Heat is a good opportunity to get back on track, and it will be interesting to see what impact Butler brings.

The Heat only have a few weeks to deal Butler before he's locked in with the team for the remainder of the season, and it'll be interesting to see if the Nuggets get on the phone with Miami to try and make a deal happen.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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