The crumbled chemistry beneath Jimmy Butler's trade request

A seven-game suspension in Year 6 in Miami reflects the franchise's frustration with Butler, but the Heat don't have the same team they once did around their six-time NBA All-Star, either

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The ongoing standoff on South Beach, to be clear, centers around money. If Miami had extended Jimmy Butler for the two years and $112 million that the Heat could have committed to the 35-year-old dating to this past offseason, we wouldn't be constantly spilling so much digital ink regarding Butler's request to be traded.

Yet there are certainly sidebar dilemmas and underreported issues which have inflamed this rift, leading to a seven-game suspension issued by Butler's own team.