As the Brooklyn Nets celebrate Vince Carter with a jersey retirement ceremony, the Miami Heat are facing internal challenges involving a key player. The Nets will honor Carter at halftime, but before the festivities, the Heat aim to secure a victory without Jimmy Butler on Saturday night in Brooklyn.
Butler has been absent for 18 games this season, including eight of the past 11, due to team-imposed suspensions for conduct detrimental to the club. The first suspension occurred following his trade request, during which the Heat went 3-4 in his seven-game ban from January 4-15. Butler returned to play in three games, including a 21-point win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, but was suspended again for missing Miami’s flight to Milwaukee on Wednesday.
With the trade deadline approaching on February 6, Butler’s tenure with the Heat, highlighted by NBA Finals appearances in 2020 and 2023, may be coming to an end. The Heat have struggled in Butler’s absence, posting an 8-12 record in the 20 games since winning four straight in early December. Miami has faced its three most lopsided defeats since Butler’s trade request became public.
On Thursday, the Heat suffered a 125-96 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks after coach Erik Spoelstra advised his team to prepare for life without Butler. Miami held a 15-point lead midway through the first quarter but was outscored 120-76 for the remainder of the game, shooting just 37 percent and making 12 of 51 three-point attempts.
Vince Carter will become the seventh player in franchise history to have his jersey retired, more than 20 years after joining the Nets in December 2004. During his five-year tenure with the team when it was based in New Jersey, Carter averaged 23.6 points per game before the franchise moved to Brooklyn in 2012.
Currently, the Nets are among five teams with at least 30 losses this season, having extended their home losing streak to nine games after being swept in a back-to-back against the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns. Brooklyn’s 108-84 loss to the Suns on Wednesday marked their second-fewest points scored in a game this season and their 13th time being held below 100 points.
The Nets have struggled without key players, going 6-20 without Cam Thomas (left hamstring strain) and 0-10 without Cameron Johnson (right ankle) this season. Johnson will sit out for the ninth time in 12 games, with coach Jordi Fernandez stating he will be reevaluated next week. D’Angelo Russell could return after missing Wednesday’s game to manage his hamstring injury.
