Jimmy Butler: Facing Heat in Return to Miami Just 'Another Game' After Warriors Trade

Jimmy Butler says reuniting with the Miami Heat on Tuesday will be "just another game" with the Golden State Warriors.

"Yeah, I was traded from there, yada, yada, yada," Butler said after the Warriors' Saturday night loss to the Atlanta Hawks, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "Yeah, it didn't end the way that people wanted to, yada yada yada. But that's so far behind me now. I don't even think about it.

"I don't pay attention to nothing except for the trajectory of this squad."

Butler was suspended three times by the Heat this winter as his relationship with the franchise deteriorated. Despite publicly stating they would not trade Butler, the Heat ultimately moved him to the Warriors as part of a multi-team deal.

Butler is currently key to the Warriors' hopes of hanging on to a playoff spot while being at least temporarily without Stephen Curry, who was injured in a Thursday win over the Toronto Raptors.

In Curry's absence Butler played 38 minutes, the most of his Warriors career, while posting a team-high 25 points in the loss to the Hawks.

Curry's injury has been identified as a pelvic contusion with no structural damage, which will be reevaluated on Monday, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. If Curry is unable to return in time to take on the Heat, Butler could see similarly significant minutes against his former teammates.

This is not the first time Butler has played a team shortly following a contentious split. Following a bitter break from the Minnesota Timberwolves early in the 2018-19 season, Butler celebrated his reunion with his former team by scoring 19 points in a Philadelphia 76ers blowout in January 2019.

The Warriors and Heat tip off Tuesday night in Miami at 7:30 p.m. ET.