MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- A judge Tuesday set an October trial date for a man charged with conspiring with the ex-wife of Lorenzen Wright to kill the former NBA player more than nine years ago in Memphis.

Shelby County Judge Lee Coffee told Billy Ray Turner during a court hearing that his trial has been scheduled for Oct. 26 after prosecutors and his defense attorney agreed on that day. A trial in Wright's slaying in Memphis would involve one of the most highly publicized murder cases in the city's history.

Turner has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy issued in a December 2017 indictment. He could face life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder.

Wright's decomposing body was found riddled with bullet wounds in a swampy field in east Memphis on July 28, 2010. Wright, 34, had been missing for 10 days before his body was discovered.

A Memphis native, the 6-foot-11 Wright played 13 seasons for the Grizzlies and four other NBA teams. He was retired from the league when he was killed.

Wright's ex-wife, Sherra Wright, entered a surprise guilty plea to facilitation of murder in July. Coffee sentenced her to 30 years in prison. She could be a trial witness.

Turner, 48, pleaded guilty in June to possessing a weapon as a convicted felon. Prosecutors said Turner had two guns when he was charged with Wright's killing. Turner was sentenced to 16 years in prison on the separate gun charge.

Turner's trial in Wright's killing had been set for September 2019, but it was delayed after prosecutors presented more potential evidence to Turner's lawyer.

Turner, a landscaper in the Memphis suburb of Collierville, and Sherra Wright attended the same church. Witnesses said Sherra Wright masterminded a plan to have two men kill Lorenzen Wright at his home in Atlanta, but that attempt failed, according to an affidavit.

She and Turner then conspired to kill him in Memphis, and they dumped one of the guns used in the shooting in a Mississippi lake, authorities have said. A gun that was allegedly used in the killing was found in the lake weeks before charges were filed in the case.

One of the witnesses, Jimmie Martin, told authorities about the Atlanta plot and that he helped Turner and Sherra Wright clean the crime scene, authorities said in the affidavit, which was read in court by a prosecutor.

Martin has been convicted of murder in a separate case. He also could testify during the trial.

Turner's lawyer, John Keith Perry, questioned Martin's statements that Turner took part in Wright's slaying.

"My client has been in jail now three years because of a convicted murderer," Perry said.

Sherra Wright received $1 million from her ex-husband's life insurance policy. She agreed to a settlement in 2014 in a court dispute over how she spent the insurance money meant to benefit their six children.

Wright's mother, Deborah Marion, is ready for a trial, prosecutor Paul Hagerman said after the hearing.

"She wants an end to this process," Hagerman said.

Governing body welcomes scrutiny from government agency as the sport aims to move forward

UK Athletics has insisted that it welcomes the news that UK Sport has commissioned an independent review into the sport’s governing body in this country.

The government agency which decides on the level of public funding invested in athletics intends to “define the key components of a ‘fit for the future’ NGB for athletics in the UK and recommend areas of change”.

Dame Sue Street, former permanent secretary at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, will lead the initial stage of a process aimed at helping the sport to move forward, with the areas of  “strategy, leadership, governance, operation, culture and connectivity of UK Athletics within the context of the sport as a whole” all coming under consideration. Any recommendation for the next steps to be taken will come later in the spring.

This will sit alongside the independent reviews that have already been commissioned into safeguarding and UKA’s response to issues surrounding the Nike Oregon Project.

UKA has been beset by problems and controversies in recent times and, as was revealed by AW last month, their own independent review uncovered a number of areas of concern and was highly critical of their performance culture. The governing body is still without a permanent chief executive following the doomed appointment of Zara Hyde Peters, who left the position before she had even begun due to safeguarding issues. There is no permanent performance director in place, either, following the departure of Neil Black.

Now UK Sport are to make their own judgements on the state of affairs and CEO Sally Munday said: “Issues raised in recent months regarding the sport are of major concern to both UK Sport and to the leadership team at UK Athletics. Both organisations are committed to delivering long-term improvement and ensuring the sustainability of the sport while acting in the best interests of its athletes, staff and the wider athletics family.

“Our aim in commissioning this first stage review is to ensure we have a full understanding of the priority issues and any next steps required to help the sport move forward.

“I’d like to thank UK Athletics’ Board for their ongoing collaboration and support for this independent work and look forward to working with them in the weeks and months ahead to build a positive future for the sport.”

In response, a UK Athletics statement read: “UK Athletics welcomes today’s review announced by UK Sport to recommend areas of change and organisational development to ensure that UK Athletics is fit for the future.

“We are pleased to have the support of UK Sport on a wide range of issues and the review will sit alongside and complement this work and is a further step in building a strong future for the sport.

“Our immediate focus is obviously on the preparations for delivering a successful year and results at the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer, whilst playing our part in delivering success for the sport as a whole.

“UK Sport is also supporting the recruitment of our new chief executive to help take our organisation into the next chapter, and that process is at an advanced stage.”

CONCORD, N.C. – NAPA Auto Parts will continue to be a sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports and driver Chase Elliott through the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season.

“NAPA is proud to continue our partnership with Hendrick Motorsports and Chase Elliott, which serves as a key component of our marketing efforts,” said Gaylord Spencer, the senior vice president of marketing for NAPA Auto Parts. “Motor sports is a natural fit for NAPA, and we are fortunate to be associated with winners like Hendrick Motorsports and Chase Elliott. Our partnership remains strong, and we look forward to continued success in the years to come.”

Elliott and NAPA Auto Parts teamed up during Elliott’s Xfinity Series rookie season in 2014, which saw him earn the Rookie of the Year and Most Popular Driver honors. NAPA remained a sponsor of Elliott’s through another Xfinity Series in 2015 and as he transitioned to his first full-time Cup Series season in 2016.

“We’ve had an incredible run with NAPA, and I know we’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible,” said Rick Hendrick, the owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “Chase has immense talent, is extremely popular with fans and has proven that he can win races and challenge for championships. There’s no limit to what he, Alan and the No. 9 team can accomplish together. We couldn’t do it without NAPA and look forward to continuing the tremendous relationship with their whole group.”

In his first year in the Cup Series, Elliott earned the Rookie of the Year award. Throughout his four-year career at NASCAR’s highest level, Elliott also has won six Cup Series races and was named Most Popular Driver for the past two years.

“NAPA constantly shows how committed they are to not only the success of their business but to the success of our team and Hendrick Motorsports as a whole,” Elliott said. “I’m so thankful for everything they’ve done for me since 2014. I get the chance to meet NAPA employees across the country throughout the NASCAR season, and to be able to represent all of them week in and week out is truly an honor. We look forward to having them on board for the years ahead.”

INDIANAPOLIS — The green and white of the Capstone Turbine Corp. will again be displayed on the No. 88 Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport car of Colton Herta for the upcoming NTT IndyCar Series season.

The southern-California based clean energy company will serve as the primary sponsor at the upcoming Circuit of the Americas open test, as well as six events including the AutoNation IndyCar Challenge at Circuit of the Americas and races at Texas Motor Speedway, Road America, Richmond Raceway, the streets of Toronto and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Capstone first appeared on the sidepods of the sophomore driver’s car in 2019 on the streets of Toronto and continued through to the season finale race where Herta scored victory from pole position for the then Harding Steinbrenner Racing team. The partnership also extends the relationship between Andretti Autosport and Capstone Turbine which began during the Month of May in 2019 with driver Alexander Rossi.

“The youthful Colton is a perfect fit for the image of our clean and green microturbine technology. The younger generation makes up 30 percent of the population, and are arguably the most concerned when it comes to environmental sustainability as the first generation to have grown up with climate change as part of everyday life,” stated Darren Jamison, Capstone’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

“The valuable business relationships we have developed with the support of George Steinbrenner IV and Mike Harding, as well as the new B2B opportunities that will come this season by being part of the Andretti Autosport family, offers Capstone a platform to reach the racing community and help more companies save money and lower their carbon footprint. We are honored to sponsor the No. 88 at the COTA open test February 11-12, and we can’t wait to get back on the grid in April,” concluded Jamison.

Capstone Turbine Corp. is the world’s leading producer of highly efficient, low-emission, resilient microturbine energy systems. Committed to improving the efficiency of energy needs around the world while simultaneously reducing global emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases, Capstone’s systems help end users improve their impact on the environment, while still meeting power and reliability needs.

Pittsburgh rookie defenseman John Marino will miss three-to-six weeks after having surgery to repair facial bone fractures, the Penguins announced.

The procedure, conducted by Dr. Mark Ochs, was done Monday at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-Mercy.

Marino suffered the injury during the third period of a 4-2 loss Thursday at Tampa Bay. He fell to the ice after a deflected Steven Stamkos slap shot landed just to the side of his helmet on his cheek. He skated off with a towel pressed to his face a few minutes after trainers rushed to his side.

Marino, 22, has been a steadying force on the blue line as the Penguins have battled injuries this season. He has played in 51 games, with five goals and 25 points, averaging 20:19 minutes per game. His point total is eighth among all rookies, and his average time on ice is third.

Pittsburgh has remained in the thick of the congested Eastern Conference playoff mix, despite losing several players for extended periods of time. Entering Monday, the Penguins were in the No. 2 slot of the Metropolitan Division with 73 points, four behind Washington.

The baseline reaction to the annual NHL trade deadline is that it's always underwhelming, which is frankly unfair.

It's like going into a movie having seen all the trailers and read all the spoilers and then being disappointed when the action on the screen doesn't match the movie in your head. The movie in your head is the fun, just like the anticipation of the trade deadline is the fun. We don't watch to see which third-pairing defenseman was traded for which fourth-round pick; we're watching for those fleeting moments when big trades feel like they can be willed into existence.

All that said: Yeah, on paper, the 2020 NHL trade deadline seems a little underwhelming when compared to those of recent years. Due respect to Chris Kreider, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Sami Vatanen, but we're not exactly talking John Tavares, Matt Duchene and Erik Karlsson here. Where this season's trade deadline gets a bit more interesting is in the sheer volume of teams that are still in the playoff hunt. According to Money Puck, as of Monday there were 22 teams competing for 16 spots that had a better than 30% chance of making the postseason cut.

As shopping season intensifies ahead of the Feb. 24, 3 p.m. ET deadline, here is a tier-by-tier look at the NHL trading block: the rentals, the investments and the wild-card stars whose availability could turn this deadline on its collective head. All salary and contract information comes from our friends at CapFriendly unless otherwise noted, and all stats are current as of Feb. 9.

Jump to:
Rentals: Center | Wing | Defense
With term: Center | Wing | Defense
Goalies | Wild cards

CENTERS FOR RENT

Mikael Granlund, C/LW, Nashville Predators

Stats: 48 GP | 12 G | 9 A | 21 P
Contract: $5.75 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

Granlund seemed like he was a goner earlier this season. He hadn't clicked with the Predators, and he's a 27-year-old hitting UFA status this offseason. But since John Hynes took over as head coach, Granlund has seen an uptick: five points in his past seven games, and a demonstrable increase in ice time. That doesn't mean the Predators won't still cut bait with him at the deadline, but it's no longer the near certainty that it was.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau, C, Ottawa Senators

Stats: 53 GP | 21 G | 13 A | 34 P
Contract: $3.1 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

The 27-year-old center has been the focus of trade speculation all season, as the next in a line of talented UFA-aged forwards seemingly out the door in Ottawa. He has the offensive goods, with 7.8 goals scored above average this season, his first 20-goal season in the NHL. The Senators will try to lock him up, but if that's fruitless, he's the best rental center available in a pure seller's market. If someone antes up a first-round pick, it's hard to imagine GM Pierre Dorion turning it down.

Evan Rodrigues, C Buffalo Sabres

Stats: 34 GP | 4 G | 3 A | 7 P
Contract: $3.1 million AAV, RFA this summer, no trade protection

The Sabres and Rodrigues are headed for a split at some point, with the 26-year-old center's reported trade demand and the fact that his ice time is down more than four minutes per game under Ralph Krueger (with several healthy scratches). But this would be selling extremely low: His minus-3.1 goals scored above average is second-worst on the Sabres.

CENTERS WITH TERM

David Backes, C, Boston Bruins

Stats: 16 GP | 1 G | 2 A | 3 P
Contract: $6 million AAV, UFA in 2021, 8-team no-trade list

Backes hasn't formally requested a trade after his minor league demotion, and it wouldn't really matter if he did: The Bruins are going to have to find a way to clear his salary with a trade partner that wants to take on his contract for another season in exchange for a pick or a prospect. He'll turn 36 on May 1, and as the past two seasons have shown, time has caught up to the physical centerman.

Jeff Carter, C, Los Angeles Kings

Stats: 57 GP | 16 G | 9 A | 25 P
Contract: $5,272,727 AAV, UFA in 2022, no trade protection

The 35-year-old center is having his best season in three years, which isn't saying much considering he has a minus-3.1 goals scored above average. His best offensive years are in his rearview mirror, but if someone wanted him and the Kings were willing to take on part of that cap hit, we're sure GM Rob Blake would listen. (One of those teams that kicked the tires, reportedly is Carter's former team, the Flyers.)

Kyle Turris, C, Nashville Predators

Stats: 47 GP | 7 G | 17 A | 25 P
Contract: $6 million AAV, UFA in 2024, no trade protection

Completing our troika of centers with contracts of which their teams would happily rid themselves, Turris has been available for a year and hasn't been shipped out. This is one where the Predators are going to have to retain some salary, but the 30-year-old is just productive enough where a change in scenery and the right price could facilitate a deal. This feels like an offseason play, though.

WINGERS FOR RENT

Andreas Athanasiou, LW/RW, Detroit Red Wings

Stats: 40 GP | 7 G | 14 A | 21 P
Contract: $3 million AAV, RFA this summer, no trade protection

The 25-year-old speedster has taken a mighty tumble from his 30-goal season, which certainly brings down the price of his next RFA deal. His availability comes down to whether GM Steve Yzerman sees a player he didn't draft as part of the Red Wings' future. (And if the GM who did draft him, Ken Holland, wants to ante up to see Double-A fly with Connor McDavid...)

Jesper Fast, RW, New York Rangers

Stats: 52 GP | 8 G | 14 A | 22 P
Contract: $1.85 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

The 28-year-old winger would be a nice depth addition to a contender's forward group, especially for his defense. But his availability depends entirely on whether the Rangers see him as a part of their rebuild going forward and, potentially, on whether they retain the services of Chris Kreider.

Michael Frolik, LW/RW, Buffalo Sabres

Stats: 50 GP | 6 G | 6 A | 12 P
Contract: $4.3 million AAV, UFA this summer, 10-team no-trade clause

Buffalo traded for Frolik to stabilize its season after mounting injuries, and he has a disappointing one goal and an assist in 12 games. Could the 31-year-old forward, an accomplished penalty killer with a Stanley Cup ring from the 2013 Blackhawks, end up back on the trade block?

Alex Galchenyuk, C/W, Minnesota Wild

Stats: 45 GP | 5 G | 12 A | 17 P
Contract: $4.9 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

He was the most significant piece the Penguins acquired for Phil Kessel, but the gamble didn't pay off: He has one assist in his past eight games and has played under 10 minutes in seven of them. On Monday, Galchenyuk was sent to the Wild as a salary dump in the Jason Zucker trade. Minnesota is his fourth team in three seasons. He'll have a few months to audition before unrestricted free agency -- unless, of course, the Wild flip him again at the deadline.

Mike Hoffman, LW/RW, Florida Panthers

Stats: 54 GP | 21 G | 24 A | 45 P
Contract: $5,187,500 AAV, UFA this summer, 10-team no-trade clause

The Panthers are very much in the playoff race, so logic would dictate they'd keep a player on pace for his second straight 30-plus-goal season. But questions linger about whether the 30-year-old winger is in their future plans, and if they could bolster their defense corps in exchange for Hoffman.

Melker Karlsson, RW, San Jose Sharks

Stats: 51 GP | 3 G | 5 A | 8 P
Contract: $2 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

The 29-year-old is an asset on the penalty kill and can help someone's bottom-six forwards, but there's a prevailing wisdom that the Sharks will seek to re-sign him as a veteran depth player.

Ilya Kovalchuk, LW/RW, Montreal Canadiens

Stats: 32 GP | 9 G | 12 A | 21 P
Contract: $700,000 AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

When the Canadiens brought on Kovalchuk following his Kings buyout, flipping him at the trade deadline seemed like a near certainty. But with six goals and six assists in 15 games, along with a shootout winner, has Kovalchuk raised his stock for that inevitable deadline deal or endeared himself to the Canadiens to the point where it's his new hockey home?

Chris Kreider, LW, New York Rangers

Stats: 52 GP | 20 G | 18 A | 38 P
Contract: $4.625 million AAV, UFA this summer, 11-team no-trade clause

Kreider is the belle of the trade deadline ball. The 28-year-old power forward goes to the net hard -- sometimes too hard, as goalies will tell you -- for goals. He's a physical player and an asset on the power play. The Bruins, Avalanche and Blues are among the expected suitors ... if the Rangers decide they're not going to re-sign him, which isn't guaranteed. (Although considering Kevin Hayes got a free-agent deal worth $7.14 million per season as a UFA, ultimately Kreider might be too expensive for the Rangers to bring back.)

Trevor Lewis, LW/RW, Los Angeles Kings

Stats: 43 GP | 3 G | 5 A | 8 P
Contract: $2 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

A versatile part of two Cup-winning Los Angeles teams, the 33-year-old has just 20 points in his past 87 games and is averaging 11:48 per game, his lowest time on ice since 2011.

Conor Sheary, LW/RW, Buffalo Sabres

Stats: 49 GP | 7 G | 10 A | 17 P
Contract: $3 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

The 27-year-old winger needs a change in scenery, enduring through his lowest scoring season in the NHL. His cap hit is a little lofty for a bottom-six forward at the deadline, but his playoff experience (57 games with Pittsburgh, including two Stanley Cup wins) is enticing.

Wayne Simmonds, LW/RW, New Jersey Devils

Stats: 54 GP | 5 G | 15 A | 20 P
Contract: $5 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

Simmonds is the kind of physical player with net-front presence teams covet at the deadline, which is why Nashville added him last season (to unfortunately deleterious results). A team like Vancouver has been reportedly interested, but the Devils might opt to keep the 31-year-old around as a positive locker room influence on what should be a younger team next season.

Craig Smith, RW, Nashville Predators

Stats: 54 GP | 12 G | 11 A | 23 P
Contract: $4.25 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

The 30-year-old surpassed 20 goals in the previous two seasons, although he's on pace to miss the mark this year. He's averaging the lowest ice time of his career (13:11) and doesn't seem like he's in the plans going forward, but the Predators are in a playoff race and might not be looking to sell.

Tyler Toffoli, LW/RW, Los Angeles Kings

Stats: 56 GP | 14 G | 16 A | 30 P
Contract: $4.6 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

The 27-year-old wants to remain with the Kings, and it's good to want things in life. The reality is that he's a player several teams are interested in -- the Penguins and Bruins among them -- and Los Angeles would be best served collecting more assets for him at the deadline. He has real value as a top-six winger.

WINGERS WITH TERM

Blake Coleman, LW/RW, New Jersey Devils

Stats: 54 GP | 21 G | 10 A | 31 P
Contract: $1.8 million AAV, UFA in 2021, no trade protection

Coleman is one of the best bargains in the NHL as a speedy, tenacious forward who has now hit 20 goals in two straight seasons and can be a dynamic penalty killer. Which is why, unless they're bowled over, the Devils are likely staying in the Blake Coleman business for the foreseeable future.

Ryan Donato, LW, Minnesota Wild

Stats: 49 GP | 10 G | 7 A | 17 P
Contract: $1.9 million AAV, RFA in 2021, no trade protection

After showing some spark when the Wild acquired him from the Bruins last season, Donato is averaging 0.35 points per game and is skating only 10:38 on average. Combine that with the fact that GM Bill Guerin wasn't the one who acquired him, and it's a recipe for a change in scenery before his RFA status hits. His value is in his cap hit and his age (just 23).

Michael Grabner, RW, Arizona Coyotes

Stats: 45 GP | 8 G | 3 A | 11 P
Contract: $3.35 million AAV, UFA in 2021, 8-team no-trade list

It's hard to imagine the Coyotes shipping out any offensive talent when they're 21st in goals scored, but Grabner is a candidate. He's been a healthy scratch this season, and his ice time has dropped by two minutes on average. His legendary speed and penalty kill are attractive assets, and his cap hit isn't gigantic. He would be much easier to move were it not for that second year on his deal.

Andreas Johnsson, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs

Stats: 47 GP | 12 G | 15 A | 27 P
Contract: $3.35 million AAV, UFA in 2023, no trade protection

You have to give to get in this league, and if the Maple Leafs are seeking to take a big swing at a defenseman at the trade deadline, then the 25-year-old forward would be an enticing piece going back the other way. Johnsson is a 20-goal scorer at 25 years old with that "cost-certainty" contract.

Kasperi Kapanen, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs

Stats: 55 GP | 10 G | 21 A | 31 P
Contract: $3.2 million AAV, RFA in 2022, no trade protection

As with Johnsson, the Maple Leafs would like to keep the 23-year-old around. The cap hit is great, as is the fact that he's an RFA at the end of the deal. But Kapanen could be in play for the right blockbuster.

Ondrej Kase, RW, Anaheim Ducks

Stats: 49 GP | 7 G | 16 A | 23 P
Contract: $2.6 million AAV, RFA in 2021, no trade protection

If Justin Faulk wanted to play in Anaheim, Kase wouldn't even be a Duck right now. But that trade was nixed, and the 24-year-old forward has gone on to have a middling offensive season despite increased ice time. The Ducks like him a lot, but it's hard to ignore that his chip was already on the table once this season.

Kyle Palmieri, RW/LW, New Jersey Devils

Stats: 49 GP | 7 G | 16 A | 23 P
Contract: $4.65 million AAV, UFA in 2021, 8-team no-trade list

On the one hand, the 29-year-old winger has incredible value as one of the most consistent goal scorers in the NHL over the past five seasons (20-plus goals in each one). To get that for under $5 million annually, and to also get it for a season beyond this one, is attractive for buyers. On the other hand, what's the sense of having two great young playmakers in Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes if they don't have anyone to make plays with? The Devils could hang on to Palmieri.

Brandon Saad, LW/RW, Chicago Blackhawks

Stats: 43 GP | 16 G | 9 A | 25 P
Contract: $6 million AAV, UFA in 2021, no trade protection

The Blackhawks are getting calls on Saad but might not be all that eager to ship out the 27-year-old forward, who has found his game again in his second stint in Chicago.

Tomas Tatar, LW/RW, Montreal Canadiens

Stats: 57 GP | 20 G | 31 A | 51 P
Contract: $4.8 million AAV, UFA in 2021, no trade protection

There's a lot to unpack here with Tatar. His availability greatly depends on the Canadiens' place in the standings around the deadline. Frankly, he has found a great fit in Montreal. But his salary, part of which the Golden Knights retained when they moved him to the Habs, is desirable as an asset, especially since his base salary drops to $4.2 million next season. If he's available, expect suitors like the Penguins and Oilers (he's a Ken Holland draft pick) to line up for him.

DEFENSEMEN FOR RENT

Mark Borowiecki, Ottawa Senators

Stats: 52 GP | 7 G |11 A | 18 P
Contract: $1.2 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

It's been an interesting run for the defenseman in Ottawa. What other NHL player has both starred in an infomercial with his owner and foiled a crime? There's something to be said for the Sens keeping a good soldier like Borowiecki around, at least for his physicality. But the pending free agent is a liability on both ends of the ice, and if someone wants to toss a reasonable draft pick Ottawa's way for his services, it should take up that offer.

Zach Bogosian, Buffalo Sabres

Stats: 19 GP | 1 G |4 A | 5 P
Contract: $5,142,857 AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

He has been buried on the depth chart, is a frequent healthy scratch and has asked for a trade. But for that cap hit, finding a taker at the deadline ahead of UFA status is going to be a very tough order for GM Jason Botterill to fill.

Tony DeAngelo, New York Rangers

Stats: 54 GP | 13 G | 29 A | 42 P
Contract: $925,000 AAV, RFA this summer, no trade protection

As Newsday noted, the fate of a few Rangers players could be tied to whether they keep or trade Kreider. DeAngelo couldn't get the multiyear deal he wanted last offseason and responded with a career year ahead of restricted free agency. A right-handed offensive defenseman has value, both for New York and to those seeking a cost-effective boost to their lineup this season. Is the 24-year-old part of GM Jeff Gorton's burgeoning core on the Rangers, or a piece that can be sold high?

Michael Del Zotto, Anaheim Ducks

Stats: 36 GP | 2 G | 9 A | 11 P
Contract: $750,000 AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

If it's a trade deadline, then we're talking Michael Del Zotto. He has 11 points in 36 games while averaging a surprisingly high 18:10 per game. Someone out there will want a cost-effective veteran offensive defenseman as a spare part. And that someone will be Del Zotto's seventh team since 2014.

Dylan DeMelo, Ottawa Senators

Stats: 45 GP | 0 G | 10 A | 10 P
Contract: $900,000 AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

The Senators would be wise to hang on to the 26-year-old right defenseman, who has been their best blueliner this season while skating 19:52 per game. But he's a low-cost option who could really bolster a contender's D-corps, too. It may come down to his desire to remain part of Ottawa's rebuild.

Brenden Dillon, San Jose Sharks

Stats: 55 GP | 1 G | 13 A | 14 P
Contract: $3.27 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

The Sharks have so few assets available who could attract a bidding war at the deadline, but this steady veteran left defenseman is one of them. He's third on the team in goals scored above average, plays a playoff-style physical defense and is getting a nice showcase this season with 19:15 per game. The Panthers are among the teams for whom Dillon would seem a no-brainer addition.

Mike Green, Detroit Red Wings

Stats: 42 GP | 2 G | 6 A | 8 P
Contract: $5.375 million AAV, UFA this summer, 10-team no-trade list

We've been here before with Green at the deadline. Like the rest of the Red Wings, the 34-year-old defenseman has suffered through a hellish season, skating to a minus-26. But he remains a backliner who can move the puck and certainly help with passes through the neutral zone. The cap hit is too rich for them, but this is the kind of rental a team like the Golden Knights -- the George McPhee connection would be interesting -- could use.

Erik Gustafsson, Chicago Blackhawks

Stats: 54 GP | 6 G | 19 A | 25 P
Contract: $1.2 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

It's easier to look beyond his defensive liabilities when he's scoring 60 points, as he did last season. But Gustafsson hasn't delivered on that offensive promise in 2019-20. He wants to stay in Chicago, but the Blackhawks aren't in a position to offer him much in a contract extension. They're shopping him, and his offensive upside could attract some buyers.

Ron Hainsey, Ottawa Senators

Stats: 48 GP | 1 G | 10 A | 11 P
Contract: $3.5 million AAV, UFA this summer, 10-team no-trade list

We feel obligated to list Hainsey here, given the "everything on the table" mentality of the Senators in the past couple of seasons and the fact that someone might see him as an essential piece to its defensive depth. But the reality is that he turns 39 in March, he's found a nice fit as a veteran sage in Ottawa and gets along swimmingly with coach D.J. Smith, going back to the Toronto days.

Marco Scandella, Montreal Canadiens

Stats: 47 GP | 4 G | 7 A | 11 P
Contract: $4 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

Could we see the defenseman, who turns 30 on Feb. 23, get traded for a second time this season? He has two points in 16 games with Montreal in 17:50 of average ice time. As a pending UFA, one assumes he'll be available. Buffalo received a fourth-rounder for him last month.

Sami Vatanen, New Jersey Devils

Stats: 47 GP | 5 G | 18 A | 23 P
Contract: $4.875 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

Vatanen is one of the best all-around defensemen available on the rental market. He skates well, moves the puck efficiently, can play on special teams and plays a lot of minutes (21:45). It's a reasonable cap hit that becomes even more reasonable if the Devils retain some of it for a sweetened pot. The Capitals, Predators and Golden Knights should all be kept in mind here.

DEFENSEMEN WITH TERM

Matt Dumba, Minnesota Wild

Stats: 55 GP | 4 G | 14 A | 18 P
Contract: $6 million AAV, UFA in 2023, no trade protection

This falls squarely into the "if there's a hockey trade to be made, potentially with a team based in Toronto" department. Dumba is a 25-year-old right-side defenseman with term and a 50-point season to his credit. The Wild would listen to any offer at this point for most of their players, but it'll take something substantial to pry him away.

Jake Gardiner, Carolina Hurricanes

Stats: 55 GP | 3 G | 15 A | 18 P
Contract: $4.05 million AAV, UFA in 2023, 7-team no-trade list

It'll be interesting to see what the Canes do with Gardiner. His signing was lauded last summer, but it just hasn't worked out the way both parties had hoped. His minus-9.3 goals scored above average and his minus-22 are worst on the team by a country mile. He needs a change in scenery, and someone can buy low here to provide him with one.

Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers

Stats: 41 GP | 5 G | 7 A | 12 P
Contract: $4.5 million AAV, UFA in 2023, no trade protection

Was that 52-point season an anomaly, or something that Ghost Bear could repeat in a different situation? It would take the right return for the Flyers to move Gostisbehere, who is 26 years old and inked to a very reasonable contract. But those are reasons that someone coveting a puck-moving blueliner might ante up for him. (I think there's a fit with the Golden Knights, for example.)

Josh Manson, Anaheim Ducks

Stats: 37 GP | 1 G | 5 A | 6 P
Contract: $4.1 million AAV, UFA in 2022, 12-team no-trade list

Every season, there's a player in his prime, on a bad team and playing below his career averages who is cast as "trade bait." The Ducks love him and reportedly aren't seeking to deal him, especially in an aforementioned down year.

Alec Martinez, Los Angeles Kings

Stats: 39 GP | 1 G | 7 A | 8 P
Contract: $4 million AAV, UFA in 2021, no trade protection

Martinez is better than a lot of the rental options, both in the way he plays and the fact that teams that trade for him get another season at a very reasonable cap hit. He's past his peak as an NHL defenseman, but he's a veteran with two Stanley Cup runs to his credit who can bolster anyone's top four.

Colin Miller, Buffalo Sabres

Stats: 40 GP | 1 G | 8 A | 9 P
Contract: $3.875 million AAV, UFA in 2022, no trade protection

Stop us if you've heard this one before: The Sabres made a deal, and it didn't work out the way it was intended. Miller skates 17:06 per game, was a steady defenseman for the Golden Knights and could be an easy candidate for a change in scenery with a manageable cap hit.

Jeff Petry, Montreal Canadiens

Stats: 57 GP | 8 G | 27 A | 35 P
Contract: $5.5 million AAV, UFA in 2021, 15-team trade list

If the Canadiens were to make the 32-year-old defenseman available, that would shake up the market considerably. He plays the right side, puts up some offense and can give you 23 minutes a night. His underlying numbers support what the traditional stats tell you, including seven goals scored above average, best among Habs defensemen. Petry has some trade protection, but above all else, he might have the best actual trade protection: The Canadiens love him on their blue line. But UFA status in 2021 and his age could be catalysts for a potential deal.

GOALTENDERS ON THE MARKET

Corey Crawford/Robin Lehner, Chicago Blackhawks

Crawford's stats: 28 GP | 10-14-3 | .912 Sv% | 2.92 GAA
Contract: $6 million AAV, UFA this summer, 10-team trade list

Lehner's stats: 30 GP | 15-8-5 | .923 Sv% | 2.83 GAA
Contract: $5 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

We'll buck the alphabetic presentation in these tiers for the Blackhawks' goaltending battery. That both Crawford and Lehner are unrestricted free agents makes Chicago's situation a cloudy one. Cloudier still is how they feel about these two netminders. Crawford, 35, was a member of two Stanley Cup championship teams, so there's an inherent loyalty there; Lehner is younger (28) and demonstrably better this season (11.2 goals saved above average, to Crawford's 8.2).

Reports out of Chicago are that the Hawks want to ink Lehner to an extension, and GM Stan Bowman has held preliminary talks to that end. While he's the more attractive candidate for teams seeking to solidify their goaltending -- hello, Carolina -- it's possible he might not be the one who moves. But the biggest complication? That Chicago suddenly has a 33.1% chance of making the playoffs, and having the sixth-best save percentage in the NHL (.913) with this duo is a primary reason. Could the Blackhawks hang on to both?

Jonathan Bernier/Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings

Bernier's stats: 32 GP | 12-14-2 | .911 Sv% | 2.82 GAA
Contract: $3 million AAV, UFA in 2021, no trade protection

Howard's stats: 25 GP | 2-21-2 | .889 Sv% | 3.98 GAA
Contract: $4 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

This is almost the funhouse mirror version of the Blackhawks' conundrum, except the Red Wings have a literal 0% chance of making the playoffs and have a team save percentage of .887. Of the two, Bernier is the more attractive option, as he's 4 years younger than Howard and signed at a reasonable cost for a backup through next season. Also, the team that acquires him won't have to explain to its paying customers why it traded for a goalie that, as of Monday, has a record of 2-21-2.

Aaron Dell, San Jose Sharks

Stats: 26 GP | 11-10-2 | .913 Sv% | 2.75 GAA
Contract: $1.9 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

Quietly, Dell has been one of the better goaltending stories of the season. The Sharks' netminders were maligned for months, essentially getting the blame for Pete DeBoer's firing. But Dell is 7-4-0 in his past 11 games with a .928 save percentage. He's singing for his free-agent supper and would be a cheap insurance policy for a contender.

Alexandar Georgiev, New York Rangers

Stats: 25 GP | 12-11-1 | .908 Sv% | 3.12 GAA
Contract: $792,500 AAV, RFA this summer, no trade protection

What are the Rangers going to do with their goaltending spot? Henrik Lundqvist is signed through 2021 with a full no-move clause. Rookie Igor Shesterkin is generally considered to be his heir. Then there's Georgiev, in his third season and an RFA this summer. Do they hang on to him? Flip him to a contender? Make him the "goalie of the future" somewhere else? It's anyone's guess, but one thing is clear: This is an envious position for GM Jeff Gorton to be in.

MARKET WILD CARDS

Josh Anderson, RW, Columbus Blue Jackets

Stats: 26 GP | 1 G | 3 A | 4 P
Contract: $1.85 million AAV, RFA this summer, no trade protection

This one probably is less a wild card than a potential RFA "rental," even though Anderson is banged up at the moment. But it's still a little stunning that a 25-year-old forward coming off a 27-goal season could be in play. Yet in this disappointing season, there's talk that that's the case.

Jonas Brodin, D, Minnesota Wild

Stats: 55 GP | 1 G | 20 A | 21 P
Contract: $4,166,667 AAV, UFA in 2021, no trade protection

Opposing fan bases have been trying to project ways to pry the talented left defenseman out of Minnesota for years. Could it happen, with UFA status looming in 2021 and a new general manager in place? If he were available, teams would line up for him. Will it happen, when he's right there with Jared Spurgeon as the team's top defensemen? Probably not.

Max Domi, C, Montreal Canadiens

Stats: 57 GP | 13 G | 23 A | 36 P
Contract: $3.15 million AAV, RFA this summer, no trade protection

His numbers are way off his career highs of last season, his first in Montreal, but that's no reason to believe that a 24-year-old, whose team holds arbitration rights on him this summer, is going anywhere. Unless, of course, there's an offer the Canadiens can't refuse or if they don't see him as a long-term fit.

Ryan Getzlaf, C, Anaheim Ducks

Stats: 54 GP | 12 G | 25 A | 37 P
Contract: $8.25 million AAV, UFA in 2021, no-move clause

It'd be a game-changer if he decided to move on from Anaheim, but even with unrestricted free agency looming in 2021, it appears Getzlaf is happy with the Ducks ... for now. "Honestly, I have no desire to try to chase a Cup somewhere else," Getzlaf told The Athletic. "I'd love to bring it back to Anaheim here before I retire. It would be awesome. Again, I can't predict the future and what's going to unfold here and what we're going to do."

Taylor Hall, LW, Arizona Coyotes

Stats: 52 GP | 13 G | 31 A | 44 P
Contract: $3 million AAV, UFA this summer, no trade protection

The Coyotes didn't trade for Hall to turn around and trade him again. In fact, GM John Chayka wants to try to persuade him to remain with the franchise beyond this rental. But what if there's some level of finality on Hall's part about playing somewhere other than Arizona next season? What if the Coyotes, in the games before the trade deadline, slip below the bubble a bit? What if a contender dazzles Chayka with an offer for Hall and his $3 million cap hit that he can't refuse, for the future of the team? As wild cards go, this is one of the wildest.

P.K. Subban, D, New Jersey Devils

Stats: 53 GP | 6 G | 6 A | 12 P
Contract: $9 million AAV, UFA in 2022, no trade protection

How much P.K. Subban is left in P.K. Subban? That's the first question, since his past two seasons have been below standards. At 30, is he in decline? Or would a change in scenery and a new challenge -- say, playing for the Maple Leafs -- light a fire under the onetime Norris winner? One thing is clear: If the Devils move him to hasten their rebuild, they'll likely have to gobble up some salary in the process.

Joe Thornton, C, San Jose Sharks

Stats: 55 GP | 2 G | 22 A | 24 P
Contract: $2 million AAV, UFA this summer, no-move clause

Everyone wants Jumbo to get that last crack at a first Stanley Cup, although it's becoming increasingly obvious that it wouldn't be in San Jose. He's given no indication that he wants to leave the Sharks at this stage of his career. If he does decide to take the Ray Bourque route and hitch his wagon to a Cup contender, there will be suitors. (And who among us wouldn't want to see the full-circle irony of Thornton pulling a "Bourque" with the team that drafted Jumbo, the Bruins?)

Big picture

After a two-month prologue, it's time for the main event. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, with the challenge of back-to-back T20 World Cups glittering on the horizon, and the small matter of the Test and ODI series now safely out of the way, put your hands together for the return of the titans. The parade of champions. The launch of the hottest ticket of the autumn - the three-match T20I showdown!

Is that overstating things a touch? Maybe just a bit. But nevertheless, you'd be hard-pressed to ignore the not-so-subtle change of emphasis that has swept through the game in the months since the completion of the 2019 World Cup.

England played a few rookies and mixed a few messages in last week's erratic ODI displays, in which their desire to get something out of the series eventually trumped their urge to give the kids a full run of games. But now, with Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes restored to the front line, and Mark Wood ready to be unleashed once more after his post-Test downtime, the opening fixture in East London marks the official start of England's return to the white-ball saddle.

For this is the format that now offers the swiftest route to glory for an England team that has the 2023 World Cup defence as a long-term objective, and the memory of the 2016 World T20 final to drive them on in the short term. It's easy, and perhaps understandable, for teams to feel sated, even a touch directionless, after achieving a lifetime's ambition, but the pain of that defeat at the hands of Carlos Brathwaite's scything blade four years ago will doubtless be a touchstone as they build towards the next campaign, looming large already, in Australia in October.

England won't be putting forward their very strongest T20 team for this series, for the absence of Jofra Archer with an elbow fracture is a big setback. But you only had to look at the injection of composure and quality that the returning Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid provided in last week's third ODI to be reminded of what a fine-tuned machine England's white-ball squad has become. For Moeen in particular, this promises to be a significant return to the fray, with his Test future still shrouded in doubt after his decision to sit out the Sri Lanka tour.

South Africa are perhaps a few steps behind in their own T20 preparations, with Faf du Plessis and Kagiso Rabada still resting up after the Tests, but the hotly anticipated return of Dale Steyn - for his first international appearances in nearly a year - is evidence of the desire that still lingers among the remnants of South Africa's golden generation.

For the time being, though, continuity is the watchword. Quinton de Kock will lead in du Plessis's absence, and open the batting, too, alongside Reeza Hendricks, who looked fluent amid the showers in Durban last week. Temba Bavuma at No. 3 will have a chance to build on his favourable white-ball impression, and then there's the dangerous David Miller lurking in the middle order - the sort of proven T20 performer who can turn any innings in his side's favour.

There's promise in that mix, and who knows, there could yet be an injection of quality further down the line, with AB de Villiers very much in contention for a last hurrah at the main event, a year on from his aborted offer to return for the 50-over World Cup. That may be a plot twist for a later date, but all such prospects add extra layers of context to these upcoming contests - which is something that bilateral T20Is have all too often lacked in the past.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)

South Africa WLWWT
England TWLLW

In the spotlight

Well, who else could we possibly turn the focus on to in these circumstances? At the age of 36, Dale Steyn's refusal to bow to the passing of time is inspirational, but is it sustainable? His Test career is done, and his role in ODIs ended with his sad departure from last year's World Cup - ruled out with a shoulder injury having arrived in England semi-fit but hopeful. But while there's one final crack at an elusive global trophy to be had, he's not ready to call it quits just yet. Such a long-overdue triumph would be the accolade that such a champion performer deserves at the end of a truly exceptional career, but is experience enough to carry the day for Steyn? He lacked penetration at the last World T20 in India in 2016, where South Africa failed to progress from the group stages, and some might argue that Grant Elliott's seismic six at Auckland in the 2015 World Cup semi-final was the moment in which his white-ball career truly died. All the more motivation, clearly, for Steyn to climb back off the canvas and silence his doubters one last time.

Whether Moeen Ali can be persuaded to play red-ball cricket again is an issue for another day. But all things being equal, he remains among the very first names on England's T20 team-sheet, given the maturity of his offspin, the tactical nous he offers as a successful captain in his own right, and the 0 to 60 power that he offers with his late-innings biffing. Few players can connect more sweetly from a standing start than Moeen. He deserves to be valued in this format where perhaps he has been taken for granted elsewhere. And, after the sad decline of his form during the World Cup last summer, at precisely the moment he ought to have been approaching fulfilment, England would do well to harness whatever burning ambition still resides within an often under-rated competitor.

Team news

Steyn's hotly anticipated comeback dominates the agenda in a familiar-looking South Africa line-up, as the new-look side that impressed in patches in the ODIs is given another chance to bed in. Sisanda Magala could yet squeeze Dwaine Pretorius out of the starting XI if he passes a fitness test. Du Plessis and Rabada wait in the wings for now.

South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (capt, wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Temba Bavuma, 4 Rassie van der Dussen, 5 Jon-Jon Smuts, 6 David Miller, 7 Dwaine Pretorius/Sisanda Magala, 8 Andile Phehlukwayo, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Tabraiz Shamsi, 11 Lungi Ngidi.

Back come England's big guns, Buttler and Stokes, though where will they slot into the XI? There's the distinct possibility that Buttler, who hasn't played a T20I since April last year, will be given the chance to reprise his stunning form at the top of the order for Rajasthan Royals, which might mean bad news for Jason Roy, whose sketchy record against spin leaves him vulnerable if sides choose to target him from the outset. Buttler may also be keen to reclaim the gloves from Jonny Bairstow, who filled in for the five-match series in New Zealand in November. Dawid Malan slammed a 48-ball century on that tour, and has been muttering quite loudly about his lack of opportunities, so he's presumably due his chance at No. 3. Joe Denly can never be ruled out of consideration, especially given his brace of fifties in the ODIs.

England (possible): 1 Jason Roy/Jos Buttler (wk), 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Eoin Morgan, 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Tom Curran, 9 Chris Jordan, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark Wood

Pitch and conditions

The deluges that wrecked Durban's ODI don't look like affecting the Eastern Cape to quite such a terminal effect, with the conditions for Wednesday set to be overcast, windy and humid. In theory, Buffalo Park's short boundaries will encourage some lively strokeplay, but the highest score in two previous T20Is at the venue is a relatively unremarkable 169.

Stats and trivia

• There have been just two T20Is at Buffalo Park, the first in 2012 when New Zealand won by eight wickets, and most recently in October 2018, when Zimbabwe were dispatched by 34 runs

Quotes

"I love playing against these guys. I watched them now in the Tests and the ODIs and I can't wait to get out there. I haven't played against England for a long time. It's great to be in East London where it's not the fastest track in the world but it will do. Any time you are playing at the highest level against the world's best players - if you're not excited about that, then I don't know what's going to get you excited."
Dale Steyn is itching to get involved again after nearly a year on the sidelines

"The white-ball journey that we went on, that changed the way we played, that journey continues now, into the Twenty20 from the 50-overs. It will be the same sort of motivational speech from Morgan, the same sort of team dynamic, the same way that we want to play."
Mark Wood says England will be sticking with their World Cup-winning philosophy for the T20s

Dale Steyn believes Jofra Archer and the ECB will have to work together to manage his workload.

While acknowledging that Archer would endure the "odd injury here or there," Steyn said effective man management, based on good communication between both parties, was crucial in ensuring the England spearhead remained fit.

"The most important thing is that people want to see him on the park, you've got to keep him on the park and they've got to work out how to do that," Steyn said. "Everyone is different so they have got to work out something for him. He is fresh, he is new into the system so it's going to take the odd injury here or there to work it out but they'll get there."

ALSO READ: England may manage Archer's workload differently - Silverwood

Archer, who bowled more than any other England bowler in 2019 but only played one match on England's tour to South Africa, has been ruled out for at least three months with a stress fracture to his right elbow and Steyn is among many who want to see him back as soon as possible, despite joking that England should "bowl him into the ground so he doesn't play".

"It boils down to man management and having good conversations with him and seeing where he is at and what he wants to do," Steyn said. "He is still learning and bowling enough that he is getting his body strong," Steyn said.

Despite the significance of the injury, Steyn - who thought Archer was "phenomenal" when he first saw him bowling for Sussex under the guidance of South African-born then county coach Mark Davis - believes he has all the ingredients for a long career because of his style, particularly the effortless appearance of his run-up.

"Fast bowling is extremely difficult, it's not an easy thing to do and he makes it look so easy," Steyn said. "He almost like waddles in a little bit, he doesn't storm in and he bowls it extreme pace. And then he's got good skill, he is able to change it up a little bit.

"That's what fascinates me. If you watch Mitch Johnson or Starc, they really run in to generate a lot of pace. Archer makes it look so much easier. For a batter that's probably the most difficult thing in the world. You don't know what's going to come."

Asked how he managed to remain injury free for the first decade of his own career, before a spate of problems during the last three years, Steyn put it down to his on-field relationship with Graeme Smith.

"I had a great captain. He bowled me when he felt we needed a wicket and I was able to deliver," Steyn said. "When we got a wicket or if the spinner got a handy wicket, like Paul Harris would bowl his backside off and get a wicket and if he wanted one more over, Graeme would say, 'No, Dale's bowling,' so I was able to bowl to the new batters.

"I had a great captain and I had other guys that were around me that were really able to get the best out of me for a really lengthy period of time."

Joe Root, England's Test captain, has denied suggestions that Archer had been overbowled since making his international debut ahead of the 2019 World Cup but conceded England would need to look at using him more efficiently on his return.

Archer played four out of five Ashes Tests, bowling 44 overs on debut at Lord's, and then 42 in one innings at Mount Maunganui on England's New Zealand tour in November. Having taken the third five-wicket haul of his fledgling Test career in the series opener against South Africa, he missed the following two matches with elbow soreness and was ruled out of the fourth Test on match-day when he suffered pain during the warm-up.

IT'S BUZZING INSIDE AmericanAirlines Arena.

It is Jan. 23 in the middle of another sun-drenched day along Biscayne Bay, and the Miami Heat have just wrapped up practice and a film session. Players are shuffling to the trainer's room. Staffers float in and out of the double doors leading into the locker room. Teammates and coaches conduct interviews with members of the media.

Among them is Jimmy Butler, navigating a conversation about how comfortable he is in his new surroundings -- and the feeling of being the face of a young, up-and-coming team built upon a strong culture like he hasn't had since the beginning of his nine-plus-year NBA career.

But Butler says he isn't thinking about his past. He doesn't wonder about the alternate reality in which he stayed with the Chicago Bulls, the team that drafted him with the 30th pick in the 2011 draft and the franchise hosting Butler and his fellow 2020 All-Stars this weekend.

"Zero," Butler says emphatically when asked how much he thinks about what could have been at his first NBA home.

As Butler returns to Chicago this weekend, Bulls fans are left to wonder what might have been if the franchise had taken the risk the Heat have: handing the keys of the franchise to a player with an uncanny work ethic but a history of chemistry issues.

As the interview winds down, Butler is pressed on the fact that the Heat gave him the big-money extension and stability that the Bulls never felt sure about. Butler leans back against the wall as a wry smile opens across his face.

"One guy's trash," he says, "is another man's treasure."

DUNCAN ROBINSON REMEMBERS the first time he met Butler.

It was in early September, just a few weeks before training camp. Robinson and a group of younger players decided to get a jump on the season at the Heat practice facility.

"We'd been going at 6 a.m.," Robinson said. "I think [Butler] had heard about it, so he wanted to be there before us. So we got there -- I got up to the court around like 5:15 -- he was already up there in a full sweat."

Butler subtly nodded at Robinson as the 25-year-old rookie from Michigan walked into the gym.

"You're getting the crust out of your eyes, and [Butler is] already getting some work in," Robinson said. "That just set the tone for the whole relationship."

One of the most interesting parts of Butler's fresh start and early success is how quickly he has assimilated into not only the Heat's culture but also the relationships he has built with many of the younger players.

"He really started to show me how to be a pro," Heat rookie Tyler Herro said. "Just the way he goes about it: his approach, how dedicated in the time he puts in. You really do see that it's not fake."

Butler is still repairing the damage to his image since he left Chicago. He clashed with former No. 1 overall picks Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins in Minnesota, believing that the talented young duo wasn't putting in enough of the necessary work and didn't have the required attitude to contend for championships.

Butler explosively forced his way out during the 2018-19 season, a departure that only fueled the narrative that he is a bad teammate.

Then Butler was an almost immediate mismatch for Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown, and he struggled to find his place within the young core of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. The Sixers had interest in bringing Butler back on a max extension, according to a league source, but after negotiations hit an impasse, they opted to lock up Tobias Harris on the first night of free agency.

"He was disruptive toward his other teammates, but you put him around some guys that actually want to get to the grind, what did he do for them? He upped their level of play, right?"

Miami Heat F Andre Iguodala, on teammate Jimmy Butler

But after almost 10 seasons in the NBA, Butler has finally found a team that sees the world the way he does, and he is emboldened by the belief that his attitude is being rewarded and not scrutinized. He doesn't have to worry about a power struggle, and he's surrounded by the type of hard-working, no-nonsense players that he always wanted more of in previous cities.

Heat forward Bam Adebayo, a first-time All-Star having a breakout season, had heard all the noise surrounding Butler: that he was a difficult teammate, that he was a demanding player, that he was a drain on locker room chemistry.

"That he was a cancer!" Adebayo jokingly shouted.

"He's way different than some of the media portrayed him to be. He's not a cancer," Adebayo said. "As you can see, we're winning. He's one of the leaders on this team, and that's what we need from him. He's going to keep doing it. I'm gonna stay on him to keep doing it."

One of the men tasked with staying on Butler moving forward is three-time NBA champion Andre Iguodala, whom the Heat acquired last week in a deadline deal.

The 2015 Finals MVP has the type of winning credentials that Butler respects. He also has experience dealing with players with fiery reputations -- and believes Butler has similar qualities to Draymond Green, Iguodala's former teammate with the Golden State Warriors.

"When [Butler] was in other places, he got knocked for [speaking his mind]," Iguodala said. "He was disruptive toward his other teammates, but you put him around some guys that actually want to get to the grind, what did he do for them? He upped their level of play, right?

"I think he upped the level of play for the guys on the Bulls. I think [the major issue] was only at one stop, really, [in Minnesota], and we see what's happening with that ship."

WHEN BUTLER WAS drafted, his Bulls teammates and coaches respected his dogged work ethic, but his raw game had limitations.

He shot the ball with no arc, like it was a dart. The coaching staff didn't trust him offensively, using him only occasionally as a defensive plug-in. And he was stuck playing behind Luol Deng, the player former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau trusted most.

Butler didn't have a regular offseason of team workouts because of the 2011 lockout, and Thibodeau didn't give him much run. He averaged 8.5 minutes per game on a roster that was built to contend for a championship.

Despite the lack of opportunity, Butler only pushed harder.

"Jimmy went from the 15th player on the team, the last player coming off the bench, to the star player of the team in four years," former Bulls center Joakim Noah said in 2017.

"When that happens, I'm sure that there was an adjustment period for him. There was an adjustment period for the organization. And there was definitely a change of culture."

Butler and the Bulls couldn't come to terms on an extension prior to his breakout campaign in 2014-15. Butler bet on himself, landing a max deal worth more than $90 million the next summer.

But in the aftermath of the new contract, the strong relationships Butler had formed over the years with the Bulls started to deteriorate. He believed some players weren't putting in the necessary work that he was doing to get better. Bulls officials, who had grown fond of Butler over time, believed that his ego was becoming inflated.

A once-close bond with Noah became fractured after several heated exchanges during the 2015-16 season. Butler publicly called out new coach Fred Hoiberg, and he isolated himself by dressing away from his teammates before and after some games.

Despite it all, the Bulls came into the free-agency period that summer with plans to make Butler their unquestioned leader. (The oft-injured Derrick Rose was traded to the New York Knicks, and Noah joined him via free agency less than two weeks later.)

Bulls general manager Gar Forman said the organization wanted to get "younger and more athletic" but reversed course to sign a player the organization hoped could teach Butler how to grow as a leader while generating interest in a team that wasn't quite ready for a full-scale rebuild: Dwyane Wade.

When the Bulls introduced Wade, Butler stood proudly in the back of the practice facility while Wade made it clear that the Bulls were "Jimmy's team."

Wade's impact was felt early, with an 8-4 start, but the success was fleeting.

After blowing a late 12-point lead to the Atlanta Hawks in January 2017, Wade ripped his younger teammates, then directed reporters to Butler, who doubled down from his seat in front of his locker.

"M-----f-----s just got to care if we win or lose," Butler said.

Veteran guard Rajon Rondo, also brought in that summer as part of Chicago's infamous "Three Alphas" experiment, roasted both Wade and Butler on Instagram, and several young players voiced displeasure with Wade's leadership methods during a team meeting.

From that point on, Wade mostly kept to himself, but he stayed close to Butler. Then the Bulls moved on from both in the offseason.

Sources said the franchise couldn't be sold on Butler as the face of a championship-caliber team worthy of the super-max, five-year, $223 million contract he could have pursued after the 2017-18 season. Later that summer, the Bulls and Wade reached a buyout.

"I realize that this is a business, and I realized it the day that I got traded [from Chicago]," Butler says now. "I still have a great relationship with those people over there. Always will. ...

"Hell, I'm even more thankful that I was able to play with Dwyane Wade in Chicago. It's crazy how things turn out."

WHEN WADE FOUND his way back to Miami after the failed one-year stint in Chicago -- and an even shorter stretch with the Cleveland Cavaliers -- he had a message for Erik Spoelstra.

"He said [Butler is] our kind of guy," Spoelstra said. "He's a Heat guy. Whether that could happen or would happen, he just said, 'This guy is like us.'"

The organization had done plenty of due diligence on Butler and even came close to trading for him in October 2018, but Wade's words resonated nine months later.

"When Dwyane played with him and came back and started to tell us about him, everybody's eyes just lit up," Spoelstra said.

That's why Spoelstra, team president Pat Riley and the rest of the Heat contingent made it a priority to meet with Butler at the start of free agency last summer to close the deal with the man they believed could lead them back to the top following Wade's retirement.

"If you have an opportunity to get him, you don't hesitate. ... We're not making decisions based on fear."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, on Jimmy Butler

Spoelstra's belief only strengthened over the summer, after a face-to-face dinner in London a few weeks after Butler and the Heat came to terms. Spoelstra and his wife, Nikki, were on vacation in Italy and decided to reroute their trip to spend some time getting to know Butler.

"We've had a lot of different kinds of players come through our doors over the years and a lot of different personalities. Not all of them have been easy," Spoelstra said. "But the thing that we definitely know is you need talent to win in this league. And it's hard to find talent to move the needle like we want, to be able to compete for a title. And Jimmy is unquestionably one of those guys.

"So if you have an opportunity to get him, you don't hesitate. ... We're not making decisions based on fear."

Butler admits now that Wade, who recently said he knew Butler was the right kind of "crazy" for the Heat, told him over the years that he would fit within the structured confines of Miami's culture better than that of any other franchise.

"[Wade] told me, 'You could play anywhere. You're that caliber of a player,'" Butler says. "But he said, 'To be the best player that you could be, Miami Heat's the place because they work like you work. They're honest like you're honest. And as much as you might butt heads with anybody in the organization or on the court, it's never going to be personal because y'all both have the same goal in mind, and that's to win a championship.'"

THE WORD "CULTURE" gets tossed around in the NBA, but Miami's is real. It has been tested. It's something the Heat can trust to withstand a personality such as Butler's.

"We're not easy," Spoelstra says. "We're not. Even the staff. We're not easy."

"You hear about [the culture]," Butler adds. "But when you're actually two feet in, you sense it, you love it. Because it's not for everybody."

The search for players who think and prepare like he does has defined Butler's career, and that's the reason he believes he has found his forever basketball home. The pride in the craft is something that resonates for Heat players and coaches as they watch Butler take the next steps in his progression.

What Butler appreciates most about what Miami has built is the fact that the group can have a hard practice, words can be exchanged, tempers can flare, and when they come off the floor, everything goes back to normal. Feelings don't linger or fester like they might have at his previous stops.

"Maybe this league is just too sensitive sometimes," Heat guard Goran Dragic says. "If the guy wants to win, then he'll tell you what you need to do or what he thinks. Some people have a hard time accepting it."

Both Spoelstra and Heat lifer Udonis Haslem see the same qualities in Butler that they saw in franchise legends Wade and Alonzo Mourning over the years: the mental and physical toughness to get better each day, the DNA to work harder no matter the circumstances.

"You had to go through something in life that's put a chip on your shoulder," Haslem said of Butler. "And that's built grit inside you that you're willing to go through extreme circumstances to get where you're trying to go."

It's also the reason the Heat are so confident that any issues Butler had in the past aren't going to reappear in Miami. The culture is built in such a way that a single player is never bigger than the team. And for now, the Butler-Heat partnership is working: Miami is 35-18 and chasing home court as the surprise of the Eastern Conference.

Butler is averaging 20.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game -- one of only six players to reach those numbers this season. Spoelstra said it was a "joke" that Butler, who finished sixth in All-Star player voting, wasn't named a starter.

Butler knows the doubters will always exist. Many within the Bulls organization still hold the belief they did all those years ago: He is a great player with an insatiable work ethic who still can't be the No. 1 player on a championship team.

The Heat were willing to bet that Butler can be.

"Don't nobody be on their own agenda here," Butler says. "It's not about stats. It's not about fame. It's not about money. It's not about none of that. It's legit about winning a championship, and we're capable of it. It's punched into our minds every single day."

That's why the smile comes so easily when Butler talks about his new NBA city. His basketball worth has always been in the eye of the beholder.