If the Heat keeps Butler past Feb. 6 and he opts out, Miami could either use a $14 million midlevel exception and a $5.1 million bi-annual exception or use about $13 million in cap space (which swells to $23 million if Robinson is released early this summer).

The clash pits perhaps the NBA's most disgruntled superstar against a franchise that won't bend to his will. And everyone in the NBA is watching.

The Miami Heat celebrated Jimmy Butler's return, sharing a video that featured Butler, but he had little interest in the special welcome.