Butler walks out of practice; faces 3rd suspension

The Miami Heat have suspended forward Jimmy Butler without pay for an indefinite period of time after the disgruntled star walked out of practice Monday, the team announced.

It's the third time Butler has been suspended by the Heat in recent weeks, and it comes as he was expected to return from his second suspension Monday night against the Orlando Magic. The Heat said the latest suspension will last at least five games, which will take it through the NBA's trade deadline Feb. 6.

The Heat were planning to replace Butler in the starting lineup with Haywood Highsmith beginning with Monday's game against Orlando, sources said, but he responded to the news by walking out of the morning shootaround.

"The suspension is due to a continued pattern of disregard of team rules, engaging in conduct detrimental to the team and intentionally withholding services," Miami said in its statement. "This includes walking out of practice earlier today."

Butler missed nine of Miami's previous 12 games because of the prior suspensions, the first of which was for seven games due to conduct that the Heat deemed detrimental. After Butler returned for three games, the Heat suspended him for two games after he missed a team flight to Milwaukee last week.

The veteran has requested a trade, and the Heat have said they are working to find a deal. Butler faces losing $532,737 per game under the latest suspension.

Without Butler, the Heat rallied from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter and beat Orlando 125-119 in double overtime.

"What it means right now is just we proved to ourselves that we have a tremendous amount of grit," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "You know, and you gain confidence from that."

The Heat next play at home Wednesday against Cleveland. After that, they leave for a four-game trip to San Antonio, Chicago, Philadelphia and Brooklyn -- that Nets game getting played Feb. 7, one day after the deadline.

"For me, this shows that through all the noise and all the chaos, we can still win," Heat captain Bam Adebayo said after Monday's win. "We still can come together and be a great team."

The Associated Press contributed this report.