Pacers News: Jimmy Butler's Injury Status Revealed For Indiana's NBA Cup Opener

Will the six-time All-Star suit up against Indiana on Friday?

Apr 7, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Will six-time All-Star Miami Heat small forward Jimmy Butler suit up against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, for what will be the first NBA Cup matchup for the Pacers?

According to Scott Agness of The Fieldhouse Files, the 6-foot-7 Marquette product will miss out on his third consecutive matchup of the season with a lingering right ankle sprain.

Through eight healthy games, Butler has seen his scoring take a bit of a tumble. He's averaging just 16.1 points on .478/.154/.732 shooting splits, 4.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds. In fairness, the versatile two-way swingman had an anomalous three-point stinker against the Orlando Magic in the Heat's October 23 season opener, and only played for 6:44 in Miami's 2023 NBA Finals rematch game with the Denver Nuggets on November 8 before suffering the injury, scoring just two points in that bout.

If you subtract those two performances, Butler's averages through the other six games are far more in line with his scoring production throughout his Heat tenure. Across those contests, he averaged 20.7 points on .513/.200/.741 shooting splits, 5.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.8 steals a night. In Butler's five previous seasons with the Heat, he's averaged 21.3 points on .496/.303/.854 shooting splits, 6.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per bout.

According to the league's latest injury report, Butler isn't the only injury absence to afflict the Heat, though the other three standard roster pieces will suit up. Shooting guard Tyler Herro, who's grappling with a right shoulder contusion, is set to play. Forwards Haywood Highsmith (left knee bone bruise) and Nikola Jovic (nasal fracture) will also play for Miami. Two-way players Josh Christopher and Keshad Johnson are both with Miami's G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Two-way Pacers rookie shooting guard Tristen Newton is with Indiana's NBAGL squad, the Indiana Mad Ants. Two Pacers big men, center James Wiseman and power forward/center Isaiah Jackson, are likely out for the year with Achilles tendon tears. A pair of wings, small forward Aaron Nesmith (left ankle sprain) and Andrew Nembhard (left knee patellofemoral inflammation), will be on the shelf as well.

Both Nesmith and Nembhard are major losses to Indiana's perimeter. In Nesmith's six healthy games this year, he's averaged 9.2 points on a solid .528/.545/.846 slash line, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists. In seven bouts for the Pacers, Nembhard averaged 7.3 points while slashing .385/.231/.800, 4.7 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 0.9 steals a night.

More Pacers: Indiana Lands Frontcourt Help in Trade Proposal With East Rival