Pat Riley has recently met with both Dion Waiters and James Johnson and expressed the sentiment the franchise hopes for a fresh start with both players.

Miami has not closed the door on Waiters playing for them again, according to sources.

Waiters has been suspended three separate times by the Heat this season.

Waiters has one more season remaining on his contract with the Heat.

Executives that spoke with Bobby Marks of ESPN at the G League Showcase suggested the NBA career of Dion Waiters is "likely over barring an incredibly unlikely turnaround."

Waiters has been fined three times this season for a total of $1.4 million.

"The Waiters contract is as close to untradable that I have ever seen in the NBA," one league executive said.

The Miami Heat almost certainly won't attach Kendrick Nunn, Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson or Tyler Herro to incentivize a team to take Waiters. Miami isn't allowed to trade a first round pick this season.

Waiters is owed more than $12 million next season.

The cultural fit of Jimmy Butler with the Miami Heat has seemed even better than many expected when he joined the franchise during the 2019 offseason.

The Heat tried to trade for Butler during the 18-19 season, but he was eventually traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.

“He should’ve been in a Heat uniform long ago,” Erik Spoelstra said. “It feels like he’s about what we’re about, and we’re about what he’s about.”

“I really enjoy playing for this coach, for this organization with the guys that I’ve got riding with me,” Butler said. “And I’m constantly smiling because I am happy. I’m home and everything about this organization fits me. Everything about the guys on this roster fits me."

Butler is averaging 20.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.1 steals and the Heat are a top-10 offense and defense.

"You never know what the future brings, but I had a good feeling I was going to be extremely happy,” Butler said.

The National Basketball Players Association is appealing the suspension of Dion Waiters.

Waiters has lost $83,500 for each of the 17 games he has been suspended.

Waiters is under contract for $12.1 million this season and $12.7 million next season, on the final two years of the four-year, $52 million contract he signed in 2017.

Waiters was suspended by the Heat "for his failure to adhere to team policies, violation of team rules and continued insubordination."

The Miami Heat are more likely to pursue a trade for Jrue Holiday than Chris Paul, according to sources.

The interest the Heat may have had in Paul is now extinct, according to league sources. 

The New Orleans Pelicans are more likely to make a change at head coach before any significant roster moves, according to two front office sources. But Holiday has been made available in trade talks in a way he wasn't previously. 

The Heat don't currently use a traditional point guard and run their offense through score-first wings like Jimmy Butler and playmaking bigs like Bam Adebayo. 

The decision to omit Bam Adebayo from the United States World Cup roster was surprising at the time and has grown in controversy as he's had an All-Star caliber 19-20 season.

USA Basketball officials suggested that this version of Adebayo wasn't on display during camp.

Adebayo admitted that losing out on a roster spot to Brook Lopez and Miles Plumlee left him with a “bigger chip on my shoulder.”

“Obviously no man wants to get cut, so I take it personally,” Adebayo told Marc Stein Of The New York Times. “But it’s behind me now.”

Yet Adebayo insisted that “it’s not the reason why I’ve been doing what I’m doing.”

James Johnson did not travel with the Miami Heat for their game against the Dallas Mavericks due to "personal reasons."

The Heat said that Johnson is not suspended.

Johnson has not played in the last 8 games for the Heat.

Jimmy Butler was fouled on the inbounds attempt by LeBron James and on a potential game-tying 3 pointer by Anthony Davis during the Miami Heat's final possession against the Los Angeles Lakers, according to the NBA's Last Two Minute Report.

Both fouls should have resulted in free throws, with James' foul resulting in free throws plus the ball.

The Heat were down 3 at the time and lost the game 113-110 as Butler missed the game-tying 3.

The report also adds that Bam Adebayo's screen on Avery Bradley during the play was a correct non-call.

The Miami Heat have suspended Dion Waiters six games without pay for his failure to adhere to team policies, violation of team rules and continued insubordination.

His suspension will begin immediately, and he will be eligible to return following the conclusion of the game against the Utah Jazz on December 23.

Jimmy Butler and Anthony Davis have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 7.

Butler averaged 27.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 8.5 assists as the Miami Heat went 3-1.

Davis averaged 35.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks as the Los Angeles Lakers went 4-0.