"I think we have enough respect for each other that we texted each other once the deal went through just to wish each other the best on it," Spoelstra said. "And we also have that respect that you want each other to learn about the respective players without any kind of influence."

Butler, the disgruntled forward who has sought a trade from Miami, left the team's shootaround hours before its double-overtime win.

Butler was informed at morning shootaround that he would come off the bench behind Haywood Highsmith against Orlando, which prompted Butler to walk out of the shootaround. That gave Miami the pretext, and it suspended Butler “indefinitely,” a story broken by Shams Charania of The Athletic and since confirmed by the team.