SACRAMENTO — The NBA on Sunday issued suspensions to the Heat’s Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jovic and Thomas Bryant for their roles in the team’s melee with the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night at Smoothie King Center.
Butler and Jovic each were suspended for one game, with Bryant suspended for three.
All three will miss Monday night’s game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center, with Bryant also to miss the additional two games remaining on this four-game trip, on Tuesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers and on Thursday night against the Denver Nuggets.
The rulings resulted from what initially began as a benign foul from Heat forward Kevin Love against Pelicans forward Zion Williamson early in the fourth quarter of the Heat’s 106-95 victory.
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In the immediate wake of that incident that escalated into several skirmishes, Butler and Bryant and the Pelicans’ Naji Marshall and Jose Alvarado all were assessed technical fouls and ejected.
The NBA’s security staff then conducted interviews and reviewed the video before Sunday’s sanctions were handed down.
In the case of Butler, who wound up putting Pelicans forward Naji Marshall in a chokehold, the sanction announced by Joe Dumars, the NBA’s executive vice president, head of basketball operations, was “for instigating and engaging in an on-court altercation.” Marshall received the same sanction of a one-game suspension without pay.
Bryant and Alvarado, per the NBA, were suspended, “for leaving the bench area during an on-court altercation and fighting.”
Jovic received his one-game suspension, “for leaving the bench area and entering an on-court altercation.”
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A key component of the NBA ruling was the video regarding those who left the bench, whether directly involved in the fracas or otherwise.
Per the NBA rule book: “During an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be subject to suspension, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined up to $50,000.”
Heat staff and security immediately attempted to control the bench as the fracas spilled over to an area near the middle of the scorers’ table at center court.
While other Heat players became entangled, the league’s ruling indicated that they had not significantly strayed from the bench.
Friday’s game in New Orleans had marked the return of Butler, who had missed the previous three games due to a death in the family. He had led the Heat in scoring at the time of his ejection. Monday’s absence will be Butler’s 19th of the season. Players who miss more than 17 are ineligible for postseason awards. Butler was second-team All-NBA last season.
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Jovic has started the past four games, after having been held out of six of the previous seven. It is the second time Jovic has received such NBA sanction, also suspended one game last season for leaving the bench during a skirmish between Heat forward Caleb Martin and Toronto Raptors center Christian Koloko on Oct. 22, 2022.
Bryant was ejected without seeing action Friday, having been held the past eight games. His last action remains Jan. 31 against the Washington Wizards.
The suspensions for the Heat come with guards Terry Rozier (knee) and Josh Richardson (shoulder) dealing with injuries sustained prior to the Heat’s eight-day All-Star break that ended Friday, and with guard Tyler Herro dealing with a knee injury that sidelined him for the finish of Friday’s game.
The lost wages from the suspensions can be appealed, but not the suspensions themselves.
The New Orleans players cited were suspended from Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bulls.
MIAMI (WSVN) – A 21-year-old man was arrested on a charge of sexual battery on a minor by an adult and lewd or lascivious molestation stemming from an alleged incident involving a 10-year-old girl, according to an arrest report.
According to the report, Alvin Davis was arrested due in connection from an alleged incident that occurred Oct. 16, 2025, in Miami. The child’s mother, who became suspicious and placed a recording device in the child’s bedroom.
The report states the girl told investigators that Davis touched her inappropriately on multiple occasions.
Authorities said Davis was transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and is being held without bond.
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Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is expected to be a late first-round draft pick on Thursday night, which will bring him a guaranteed four-year contract worth around $20 million. But he considered turning that down for a big-money offer to stay in college.
Simpson, who has previously said that Miami offered him $6.5 million to transfer and play for the Hurricanes in 2026, said on David Pollack’s podcast that the money was too good not to at least think about.
“I think the last offer was definitely one that I just had to sit down and consider, because it would have been life-changing money,” Simpson said. “It would have made me the highest-paid player in college, and it was something to where I was like, I can’t just ignore this. I have to sit down and think about it. That’s how I am, I don’t want to do anything sporadic. I want to sit down and think it all out, and it really just came down to how I wanted to be remembered and what do I want to do.”
Simpson, who spent three years as a backup at Alabama before becoming the starter last year, went to his former coach, Nick Saban, for advice.
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“I actually talked to Coach Saban about this,” Simpson said. “The things he was talking about were, do you want to play football in college, or do you want to play football professionally? And he was like, ‘Take the money out of it, take the rounds out of it, what do you want to do next year?’ And without a doubt, without hesitation, I said, ‘I want to play professional football.’ And he was like, ‘Well, there’s your answer.’ It was something that I’ve always dreamed of, and I felt that I was ready to take that next step and be the face of a franchise and lead a locker room.”
It’s a different world in football now that players might make more money with another year in college than their annual average salary will be in the NFL. Now, players have to think about whether the NCAA or the NFL will be more lucrative. NIL deals have changed both college football and pro football.
Photo Credit: @CanesFootball via X // redshirt senior wideout Cooper Barkate catches a 29-yard touchdown from Darian Mensah during Miami’s Spring Game on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at Cobb Stadium.
After more than three months removed from a devastating national championship loss, over 5,000 fans gathered at Cobb Stadium on Saturday morning for a first look at Miami football’s 2026 squad.
The annual spring game offered exactly that: a mix of evaluation and entertainment. Miami structured the day differently this year, using the first half for position drills, including passing, red zone and agility work, before transitioning into a live scrimmage in the second half.
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Much of the attention centered on new quarterback Darian Mensah, a transfer from Duke. While he started slow, Mensah quickly settled in and showed why he’s expected to lead the Hurricanes this fall.
Mensah connected multiple times with familiar target Cooper Barkate, his former teammate at Duke. The duo picked up right where they left off, highlighted by a 29-yard touchdown to the back corner of the end zone. Mensah added a 33-yard touchdown pass to Daylyn Upshaw and a five-yard score to Cam Vaughn, another transfer addition.
Calm in the pocket and effective under pressure, Mensah extended plays and delivered accurate throws, flashing the kind of playmaking ability Miami fans have been eager to see.
With several returning starters such as wide receiver Malachi Toney and running back Mark Fletcher seeing limited action, opportunities opened for younger players to contribute. RB Jordan Lyle capitalized, breaking off multiple strong runs and showing quick footwork in the open field.
Behind Mensah, Miami showcased its quarterback depth. Judd Anderson, Luke Nickel and early enrollee Dereon Coleman all saw snaps, with Nickel making a strong case for the backup role. Coleman flashed potential but remains a longer-term development piece.
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Photo Credit: @CanesFootball via IG // Miami quarterback Darian Mensah performs handshake with redshirt senior wideout Cooper Barkate during Miami’s Spring Game on April 18, 2026, at Cobb Stadium.
Defensively, Miami may have delivered the most impressive performance of the day.
Despite losing key contributors such as Ruben Bain and Akheem Mesidor to the NFL, the Hurricanes controlled the line of scrimmage and limited offensive production. Defensive lineman Damon Wilson, a transfer from Missouri, along with tackles Justin Scott and Jarquez Carter, consistently disrupted plays. Scott’s quickness stood out against the run, while Wilson applied steady pressure off the edge.
In the secondary, Boston College transfer Omar Thornton, along with JJ Dunnigan and Xavier Lucas, contributed to multiple stops with tight coverage and physical tackling.
The offensive line, featuring several new faces and only one returning starter, showed flashes but remains a work in progress. Freshman Jackson Cantwell has big shoes to fill with Sisi Mauigoa declaring for the NFL draft. At 6-foot-8, 330 pounds, Cantwell acted as a brick wall protecting his QB and winning the battle at the line. However, the second team offensive line had some struggles, with two bad snaps in a row.
For many in attendance, however, the spring game was about more than just performance. It served as a rare opportunity for families and fans to connect with the program in a more personal setting, celebrating players beyond what they show on the field.
“It’s him fulfilling his dream and doing what he wants to do,” said the grandmother of wide receiver Milan Parris. “He’s my oldest grandson, and I’m just over the moon. I’m extremely proud of him.”
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While the defense may have controlled much of the action, the day ultimately served as an early glimpse into a team balancing new talent, developing depth and high expectations.
With nearly five months until the season opener against Stanford on Sept. 4, Miami leaves the spring with promise and plenty to still refine.
