MIAMI _ As the Miami Heat looks to bounce back from Monday's painful overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, they appear likely to get back their max player.
All-Star wing Jimmy Butler worked out at the Heat's facility on Tuesday and the hope is he will be able to play in Wednesday's home matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to a league source. The Heat listed Butler as questionable for the game, but there is cautious optimism about a return Wednesday.
Butler missed the past two games because of personal reasons.
Butler, 30, is healthy; his absence did not involve any injury.
Butler's expected return will surely help the Heat, as he owns the second-best plus/minus on the team at plus-228 this season. Without Butler on the court, opponents have outscored Miami by 39 points.
In addition, Butler is averaging a team-high 20.6 points on 45.3% shooting from the field and 24.6% shooting on threes this season. He's also averaging a team-high 6.2 assists.
The Heat has posted a 5-5 record in the 10 games Butler has missed this season.
While Butler has missed 10 games this season, only four have been because of injury.
He missed the first three games of the season while on paternity leave following the birth of his daughter, the fourth game because of an illness, the fifth game because of lower back soreness, the sixth game because of right hip soreness, the seventh and eighth games because of a right shoulder strain, and the ninth and 10th games because of personal reasons.
Along with missing the Heat's home-and-home set against the Cavaliers, Butler's personal situation also prevented him from being at AmericanAirlines Arena for Dwyane Wade's jersey-retirement ceremony at halftime of Saturday's win over Cleveland. In addition, the same personal issue forced Butler to miss Friday night's "Flashback" event for Wade, with Butler one of the only Heat players who was not at the event.
Butler's absence from Wade's weekend was notable, considering Butler and Wade are close friends after spending one season together as teammates with the Bulls in 2016-17. Butler called Wade on Friday to inform him that he would be unable to attend Friday night's event honoring Wade.
While Butler is expected back, rookie guard Tyler Herro (sore right ankle) and Meyers Leonard (sprained left ankle) remain out. Herro and Leonard are listed as out for Wednesday's game against the Timberwolves, which will mark the ninth consecutive game both have missed. Both recently had their walking boots removed, but the Heat has declined to offer a timetable for their returns.
In Herro, the Heat is missing its best clutch three-point shooter this season.
With Butler positioned to return, Erik Spoelstra must decide among Derrick Jones Jr., Kelly Olynyk and Jae Crowder for the starting spot alongside Butler, Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn.
The Heat is 2-6 in its past eight games, including 1-3 without Butler in that stretch.
