Butler misses Heat debut due to personal reasons

The Miami Heat debut of Jimmy Butler didn't happen on Wednesday night after the prized offseason acquisition told the team he wasn't available to play. The Heat said Butler's unavailability for the game against the Memphis Grizzlies was due to "personal reasons." It was announced less than two hours prior to tipoff.

"Jimmy is not going to be here tonight," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters. "It's for personal reasons. Everything is fine. Everything is good." Butler, a four-time All-Star, reportedly participated in the morning shootaround and informed the team he was unable to play sometime in the mid-afternoon.

Spoelstra insisted to reporters that "everything's fine" and that there was no reason for concern. "The truth will come out," Spoelstra said.

The Heat landed Butler in the offseason in a four-team deal in which it executed a sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers. Miami also will be without guard Dion Waiters against the Grizzlies. He is serving a one-game team suspension for detrimental conduct.

The Heat next play Saturday on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)