Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler will miss at least the last two games of his team’s road trip due to an ongoing illness. The team announced that Butler will not play against the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets this weekend, and will likely miss action until January 1st when the Heat host the New Orleans Pelicans. Butler has not played since the first quarter of Miami’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on December 20th, after twisting his ankle and being ruled out due to illness.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his availability, Heat President Pat Riley has shut down trade rumors, stating that Butler will not be traded. ESPN reported that Butler prefers to be moved before the February 6th trade deadline, but Butler has not publicly expressed any desire to be traded. Butler is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists this season.