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Caron Butler played just 29 games for the Dallas Mavericks last season before a knee injury ended his season. He still earned a reported three-year, $24 million contract to play for the Los Angeles Clippers next season.
Caron Butler didn't exactly get to showcase his wares with the Dallas Mavericks last season after playing in just 29 games before being sidelined for the remainder of the season with a torn patella tendon. That likely won't hurt his stock in free agency, however, as many teams seem to be lining up for the small forward who can score in bunches.
Butler has reportedly already met with the San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Clippers this week and was expected to meet with both the New Jersey Nets and possibly even the Detroit Pistons before signing a contract, according to ESPN Dallas.
The biggest issue regarding Butler is how his game will be changed after suffering a season-ending knee injury, but as Tom Ziller pointed out in his top NBA free agents post, picking him up is a bit of a crap shoot regardless of the injury.
Butler remains a capable scorer, but should be limited to a bench role at this point (and paid accordingly). The saving grace of his pre-injury 2010-11 season in Dallas was that Rick Carlisle's offense is a bit difficult to grasp quickly; he seemed to be getting comfortable when he went down around New Year's. The Mavericks survived (and as such shouldn't prioritize re-signing him), but if he's healthy, teams could reasonably expect a Butler that is better than his numbers looked in 56 games with Dallas.
That said, he's pushing 32 and his three-point shooting last season (43 percent) screams "fluke!" when compared to his career (32 percent).
Butler obviously has suitors as he's a proven player and should conceivably bring scoring and veteran leadership to his new team. The question at hand, however, is exactly what a 31-year-old streaky small forward is worth on the open market.
NBA Free Agency: Caron Butler Signs Three-Year, $24 Million Deal With Clippers, Report Says
Caron Butler, who suffered a season-ending injury in December and watched the Dallas Mavericks win a championship without him, has signed a three-year, $24 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to a report by David Aldridge of TNT and NBA.com. Butler chose the Clippers over teams like the San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls, who had less money to offer, but could have brought him closer to a championship.
Butler was having a pretty good season for the Mavericks last year before suffering a knee injury after just 29 games. The Mavericks plugged Shawn Marion into his starting spot and were able to win the NBA Finals. Overall, the 31-year old Butler averaged 15 points a game while shooting a career-high 43.1 percent from three-point range last year.
The Clippers are hoping Butler can solidify the small forward slot and provide experience and toughness to help guide their young roster. He will likely replace Ryan Gomes in the starting lineup.
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Dec 08 3:49p by Mike Prada - 0 comments