Jimmy Butler to miss Heat road trip after birth of his daughter
Jimmy Butler is skipping the Miami Heat’s upcoming two-game road trip this weekend, though coach Erik Spoelstra isn’t upset in the slightest.
Butler’s girlfriend, Spoelstra confirmed on Friday, gave birth to their baby daughter on Wednesday night.
“I think it’s like the worst-kept secret that’s out there right now why Jimmy missed the [season opener],” Spoelstra said, via the Miami Herald. “Jimmy is now a proud father. He has a baby daughter. The rest, I’ll let him pick up the details.
“Everything has obviously just been unbelievable news in the last 24 hours. We’re thrilled for him and we’re really excited to add his daughter to our family.”
Butler missed the Heat’s season opener against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night in Miami — news that came as a surprise to most, given that he was at the team’s shootaround in the morning. The Heat announced that Butler was missing the game due to “personal reasons,” though didn’t elaborate. All Spoelstra said at the time was that “everything’s fine.”
Butler — the four-time All-Star who the Heat acquired in an offseason trade with the Philadelphia 76ers and inked to a four-year, $141 million deal — will now miss the Miami’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Fiserv Forum on Saturday and then against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center on Sunday.
The Heat have a home game on Tuesday against the Atlanta Hawks, though Spoelstra wouldn’t specify whether Butler would make his official debut with the team then.
“The plan right now is for him not to go on the trip, so he can stay at the hospital,” Spoelstra said, via the Miami Herald. “We’ll see from there. I’ll let you know when I know.”
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