Jimmy Butler has been suspended by the Miami Heat for the second time in three weeks after he missed a team flight to Milwaukee.
The 35-year-old forward was suspended for seven matches by the Heat earlier this month for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team.”
Butler returned from that suspension last Friday but he missed a team flight on Wednesday, incurring a further two-match suspension.
The Heat, who said they would listen to trade offers following Butler’s first suspension, said the veteran will now miss games against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday and Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.
“We have suspended Jimmy Butler for two games for [a] continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team, including missing today’s team flight to Milwaukee,” the team said in a statement.
Butler, a six-time NBA All-Star, joined the Heat from the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019.
He has made 25 appearances for the Heat this season, averaging 17 points, 4.8 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game.
The NBA trade deadline is on 6 February.
