The Heat’s Erik Spoelstra has Jimmy Butler’s biggest request after returning from suspension

MIAMI – Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is back in Friday night’s loss to the Denver Nuggets, as the basketball world was eager to see what the disgruntled forward would do. Butler was suspended for seven games for “conduct detrimental to the team” and publicly sharing his displeasure with the team, but had a solid effort against Denver as head coach Erik Spoelstra talks about what else she wants to see from him.

Butler finished Friday’s loss with 18 points (second on the team) on 7-for-15 shooting from the field, missed both three-point attempts, had three rebounds and two assists. He would be more involved in the 10-point third quarter, as Spoelstra told ClutchPoints that he would “build” on the way out and has one request for a star.

“That’s something we’re going to build on, you know for sure, we want him to be aggressive,” Spoelstra said before Sunday afternoon’s game against the Spurs.

In the middle drama between heat and butler, people might overanalyze Butler’s performance as his effort level was questioned, especially in the two contests on January 1st and 2nd where he returned from illness. In the second of those two games where the team lost to the Indiana Pacers, Butler said he had lost his “joy” playing basketball and said “probably not” when asked if that could be rebuilt in Miami.

The Heat’s Erik Spoelstra is trying to stay out of the Jimmy Butler drama

What has happened since then is the trade demand as Butler reportedly doubled down to his mindset and to Heat president Pat Riley and owner Mickey Arison. Until a possible deal is reached at the Feb. 6 trade deadline, Butler will play in games and assist the team.

When Spoelstra was asked Friday if they needed him more involved, the longtime head coach didn’t want to get into narratives and was more focused on getting his “super kicked” by the Nuggets.

“I don’t know.” We haven’t seen him, you know, obviously, for a couple of weeks, you know, he hasn’t played a lot of games. So that’s probably, you know, part of this. I know what stories you’re looking for. “I’m not getting into any of that tonight,” Spoelstra said. “We got a whore.” I know what you want to talk about, I know what I saw there from a defensive standpoint. It wasn’t good enough. And now it’s three consecutive games, you know, we found our identity and how we can win. And then they know, three games, we didn’t manage to put it together, commit to that side of the floor, and we paid the price.

In any case, the 35-year-old will have his work cut out for him in the meantime, but there’s no doubt that the problem won’t go away, as he proved Butler breaks the silence Drama Friday. Meanwhile, the Heat still have a season to play as they are 20-20, which puts them in ninth place in the Eastern Conference before they play San Antonio.