Jimmy Butler Planning Tp Play Wednesday, Heat Future Unsettled

Jimmy Butler plans to play for the Miami Heat on Wednesday. And after that, who knows.

The good news for the Heat: Butler declared himself healthy again after what he described as a fairly severe illness for more than a week and said he will return to the lineup when Miami hosts New Orleans on New Year's Night.

The perhaps not-so-good news: When asked Tuesday if he wants to be in Miami, amid now a couple weeks and counting of trade speculation, Butler was noncommittal.

"It's a good question. Who knows? I don't," Butler said. "But right now, I'm here. So, I'm going to make the most of it. I am going to compete, and I am going to win. And that's all that I've got. It's a lot of talk. And it is a lot of noise, which I'm cool with. It doesn't bother me at all. I love that. I thrive in that. But it keeps all y'all wondering. It does. It keeps the world wondering, to where you've got to keep coming back and asking me about something. I like it. It's good to be talked about. Even better to be wanted, though. Remember that."

His return to practice was the latest development in a saga that really has gone on for months - Butler could have gotten an extension from Miami this past summer for as much as 113 million over two years but did not - and began picking up steam again three weeks ago when ESPN reported that the Heat are open to receiving trade offers.