Butler again set to return for Heat. Also, Rozier’s shooting and Adebayo’s chat with Dr. J

For the second time in two weeks, the Miami Heat is poised to bring back Jimmy Butler after his latest team suspension.

Butler was not on the injury report for Monday’s matchup against the Orlando Magic at Kaseya Center (7:30 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Sun), with multiple league sources indicating that the Heat will make Butler available for the game barring something unexpected. Butler plans to continue to make himself available to the Heat for games.

But whether the Heat plays Butler or not on Monday remains to be seen.

Ware, Jovic share blossoming connection. And Haslem’s advice on a key part of their games

Butler was used in his usual starting role in each of the three games that he played following his first suspension. But his effort was uneven in those three appearances prior to being suspended for the second time this month.

His scoring average dipped from 17 per game to 12 per game in the three games between his first suspension and his two-game suspension that ended on Saturday night. He also passed the ball more than he typically does during those three games, which includes losses to Denver and Portland and a win against San Antonio.

Butler’s first suspension was for seven games for “conduct detrimental to the team.” His second suspension was for two games for “continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team, including missing… a team flight to Milwaukee.”

But as of Sunday, the Heat remained opposed to sending Butler home while paying him.

The seven-game suspension cost Butler a total of about $2.4 million in salary, and the two-game suspension cost Butler about $700,000 in additional salary. The National Basketball Players Association is expected to file a grievance to dispute the suspensions, with the fine money held in escrow until a resolution is reached. This process could take up to a year, but could result in Butler getting some of the lost salary back.

The Heat is 13-12 this season in games that Butler has played in and 9-10 without Butler.

According to multiple sources, Butler has been disappointed with the Heat primarily because Miami declined to give him a two-year, $113 million contract extension this past summer, a deal that would have run through the 2026-27 season. Butler was open to signing such a deal early in the negotiating window, but his mind-set changed when the extension wasn’t immediately offered by the Heat.

The Heat continues efforts to fulfill Butler’s trade request before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

Rozier rebounds

Terry Rozier scored nine points late in Saturday’s 106-97 win against the Nets, at least temporarily halting an offensive slump that has extended for weeks.

“I loved to see him in the grind,” Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s been doing a ton [of work] off days.”

Rozier’s recent swoon has been historic: He entered Saturday 13 for his last 80 on threes, the lowest three-point shooting percentage ever over a 14-game stretch for a player with as many as 80 attempts.

After a 3-for-9 start from the field on Saturday, Rozier closed 6 for 13 and 2 for 5 on threes.

“I’m a super optimist,” he said of his mentality during this extended drought. “I’ve got hope. I wake up and I’m always going to give myself a chance to do what I do. You’ve got to have a short memory in this league. I’m not having the season I want to have. But I know things can turn around.”

Even after a full calendar year with the Heat, Rozier in some ways is still trying to find his way.

“Coach trusts me,” Rozier said. “I think the guys trust me. Still just trying to find my areas I can be most effective and help the team.”

Spoelstra said Rozier has “been working diligently behind the scenes and shooting the heck out of it in shooting sessions. Historically, he’s been a really good shooter. I think it’ll come around. We want him to shoot those shots. Those are the right shots for him to take, particularly off the catch, deep touch, wide open look. Last few years, he’s one of the better, more accurate... three point shooters” on those shots.

At 29 percent, Rozier ranks in the bottom five of the league in three point shooting.

Highsmith helps

After Saturday’s win, the Heat is now 19-14 with Haywood Highsmith starting.

“He’s guarding the other team’s best scorer, best guard,” Tyler Herro said. “When you start me and Duncan [Robinson], trying to have someone else who’s more of a point of attack defender on them [helps], which is our guy Haywood. Whenever he’s in the starting lineup, it makes a huge difference for me and Duncan.”

▪ NBA legend Julius Erving, who spoke at Vince Carter’s Nets halftime jersey retirement on Saturday, also spent some time speaking with Bam Adebayo, a moment that Adebayo treasured.

“Just to have the respect of those guys, that’s the coolest thing,” Adebayo said. “Being able to walk up to somebody, somebody of that stature, I just felt like that’s the ultimate compliment. Sorry we had to mess up your night, but that’s what the game’s about, man….

“ First time I met him, he knew me, and it was like, ‘Whoa, Dr. J knows my name.’ So it’s always just been casual conversation, not really about basketball. He always appreciates how I approach the game.”

▪ Adebayo spoke late Saturday of the need to be more conscious of the team’s body language when an opponent is on a run.

“The thing that changed for us was body language,” said of the Heat’s 21-7 third quarter spurt after the Nets rallied to tie the game. “We talk about it. When a team makes a run, our body language gets in the way, and that’s kind of the effect of it. It’s a competition. Teams see how our body language looks. That’s a weapon. So for us, it’s fixing our body language. Obviously, we did that” Saturday.

▪ The only Heat players ruled out for Monday’s game against the Magic are Josh Richardson (right heel inflammation), Dru Smith (left Achilles surgery) and Isaiah Stevens (G League).

The rest of the Heat’s roster is expected to be available to play.

The Magic ruled out Gary Harris (left hamstring strain), Mac McClung (G League) and Moritz Wagner (torn ACL) for Monday’s game in Miami.

Goga Bitadze (concussion protocol) and Jalen Suggs (left quad contusion) are listed as questionable for the Magic.