In a recent game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat squad found themselves amid a skirmish. The altercation sparked when Naji Marshall questioned a foul, leading Jimmy to initiate physical contact. In response, Naji retaliated by briefly choke-holding Butler, prompting the entire squad to converge around the scene. The result was the ejection of four players from the game.

Later, the NBA responded with suspensions and fines. Both Jimmy Butler and Naji Marshall received one-game suspensions for their roles in instigating the altercation. Nikola Jokic faced the same penalty for leaving the bench and joining the feud. Additionally, Thomas Bryant and Jose Alvarado were handed three-game suspensions for both fighting and leaving the bench. On a positive note for Butler, he managed to save a significant chunk of money in fines thanks to the NBA’s new policy.

CBA rules help Jimmy Butler save on the fine

Among the five players involved, Jimmy Butler faces the heftiest fine, surpassing the combined fines of the other players by more than double. The substantial fine is a result of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) rules, which stipulate deductions of 1/174 of the base salary for a one-game suspension and 1/145 of the base pay for suspensions lasting two games or more. Regardless, Butler is said to have saved more than $50,000 through the new policies.

Butler’s financial hit amounts to $259,968, a considerable sum. Meanwhile, Thomas Bryant will see a deduction of $52,308, and Nikola Jokic will lose $12,655 from the Miami Heat. On the Pelicans’ side, Jose Alvarado and Naji Marshall face fines of $37,988 and $11,096, respectively.

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Miami was not expecting retaliation from the league

Describing the altercation as “I put my hand around his neck. He put his hand around my neck,” Jimmy Butler expressed his disbelief at being ejected from the game. Miami’s head coach, Erik Spoelstra, supported his team, emphasizing the need to avoid escalating the situation. Further, he praised the players for maintaining their composure in the final quarter.

However, when talking about the suspension, Spoelstra shares a similar sentiment to Butler, stating, “It was really just tangling and a little bit of pushing. I don’t think that deserves another game because he ended up having to miss the fourth quarter.”

Regardless, Butler and Jokic will now sit out the game against the Sacramento Kings on Monday, while Bryant will be sidelined until the approaching weekend. Furthermore, the Heat might face additional challenges in the next game as Tyler Herro awaits the results of his MRI exam to determine his availability for the upcoming game.