This is when reality further hit home for the Miami Heat. Mediocre without Jimmy Butler. Mediocre with Jimmy Butler.

Morant was coming off a 21-point, 12-assists outing on Wednesday when the Grizzlies rallied to beat the Spurs 129-115. Morant is averaging 21.4 points and 7.5 assists in his sixth season.

Jamal Murray scored 30 points, Nikola Jokic extended his NBA lead with his 17th triple-double of the season and the Denver Nuggets spoiled Jimmy Butler's return by beating the Miami Heat 133-113 on Friday night. Jokic finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Aaron Gordon added 16 for Denver.

Butler, 35, had been suspended for "detrimental conduct," which cost him approximately $2.36 million in lost salary.

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

The Phoenix Suns are rumored to be one team interested in Butler, but that involves the Heat taking Bradley Beal and the two seasons and $110.7 million remaining on Beal’s contract. Plus, Beal has a no-trade clause in his contract. The Suns would be willing to give Butler another financially significant contract.

After an alarming last-minute injury scratch from the lineup on Wednesday, Nikola Jokic was able to play with a sprained right elbow in Miami. It did not seem to bother him. He completed his 16th triple-double of the season late in the third quarter with one of his most delicious highlights of the year.

The Jimmy Butler-Miami Heat saga has dominated NBA headlines for the better part of the season; after all, it's not every day that a superstar of Butler's calib

MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy Butler returned to the Miami Heat as planned on Friday, going through the team’s walkthrough in advance of their game against the Denver Nuggets ( 8 ET, League Pass ).

Butler has been projected as a very quality fit alongside the duo of Suns stars already in place - with his relative low-usage nature, ability to pressure the rim, and underrated playmaking would be a step-up from how Bradley Beal fits currently.

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.