Though Butler leaving the Heat in free agency (without the Heat’s help) would not leave Miami with cap space to sign a max player this summer or anything close to a max player directly into cap space, there are ways around that — avenues that could give the Heat more than $60 million in spending money in July.

On the day an interview with Miami Heat President Pat Riley dropped regarding dealing with player empowerment, more clarity emerged about the ongoing team suspension of forward Jimmy Butler. Amid the unpaid seven-game suspension of Butler,

On the day an interview with Miami Heat President Pat Riley dropped regarding dealing with player empowerment, further clarity was offered regarding the ongoing team suspension of forward Jimmy Butler.

Jimmy Butler is currently serving a seven-game suspension from the Miami Heat after he basically stopped taking shots and demanded a trade that his agent previously denied he wanted. Butler's final comments before his suspension were about how he was no longer experiencing joy playing basketball in Miami.