The six-time All-Star is eligible to return from suspension Friday, but the tension surrounding the team remains palpable, writes Mark Medina.

Tensions are high, but Butler can bolster his own market by playing well for Miami when his suspension ends after Wednesday's game in LA.

Jimmy Butler is expected to play for Miami again Friday when it hosts the Denver Nuggets, a game that would be his first since the Heat confirmed that he wants a trade and that they are trying to accommodate that request.

Will Jimmy Butler make his Heat return on Friday against the Nuggets? Check back here for updates throughout the day

With Wednesday night’s 117-108 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers marking the end of the Heat’s six-game West Coast trip and the end of Butler’s team-issued seven-game suspension, he’s eligible to return when the Heat opens a three-game homestand on Friday against the Denver Nuggets (8 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Sun).

As per recent reports, the situation between Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat will become uglier following Butler's return from suspension

It was a 117-108 win for the Lakers and while it was not LeBron James ' best game by any means, he did step up to the plate in the fourth quarter. 9 of LeBron's 22 points on the night came in the fourth quarter, as he led all players in fourth quarter scoring to guide the Lakers over the line.

The defeat to the Lakers also marked the first game back by Heat center Bam Adebayo as he missed the Clippers game because of a lower back contusion. He suffered the injury in the win over the Portland Trail Blazers last Saturday after a bad fall right on the back which made him inactive for the first time this season.

The Miami Heat (20-19) fell to 3-3 during their road trip during Jimmy Butler’s suspension against the Los Angeles Lakers (21-17) 117-108. Here’s a look at four

The NBA trade deadline is only a few weeks away, which means there's no shortage of rumors to analyze as teams gauge markets and assess targets. The

With the Miami Heat’s seven-game unpaid suspension of forward Jimmy Butler scheduled to be completed with Wednesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.Com Arena, it is what follows the next day that could determine what comes next in the ongoing saga.