Chicago Bulls free agent Rasual Butler signs one year deal with Spanish team
Gran Canaria: NBA News
Swingman Rasual Butler has become the first Chicago Bulls player to land an overseas contract during the NBA lockout. On Monday, Butler’s agent Andy Miller confirmed that his client and the Spanish league team Gran Canaria have
reached to an agreement. Butler has signed a one year deal with the Spanish team and will feature in the roster when the next season tips off.
Gran Canaria general manager Himar Ojeda said after the acquisition of Butler, “He has been a solid player in the NBA that is able to score. He will also help us in defence and it is something that we like a lot.”
Butler, who is a free agent for the next season had also included an out clause in his contract, so whenever the lockout gets settle he can return to the States.
Butler usually didn’t get much minutes while playing for Chicago, as coach Tom Thibodeau had his rotation plan set. However, with this deal Butler will surely get more minutes. It is a great opportunity for him to evolve his game,
as Gran Canaria plays in the Association of Basketball Clubs (Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto) league that is rated as the most competitive European league.
Gran Canaria, which is based in the Canary island of Spain, will meet the Artland Dragons in the two-way Euro-cup Qualifying Round. The tournament will feature 16 teams in total, top eight of whom will progress to the regular season
of the Euro-cup. The bottom eight teams will go for the Euro-Challenge.
Whether Gran Canaria achieve success or not, one thing is for sure that there will be plenty of action for the six foot seven Butler, who started his National Basketball Association career back in 2002, when the South Beach based
franchise Miami Heat selected him as 53rd overall second round pick. Butler remained with the Heat until 2005 and his scoring average in the three seasons with them was 6.9 points per game.
After departing from the Heat, Butler found a place in New Orleans Hornets roster. Except for the 2007-08 season, Butler’s scoring average remain above expectations. His 11.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game average earned him
a place in the Los Angeles Clippers. Later in March 2011, Butler signed a pact with the Bulls after the Clippers waived him off.
Butler played just six games from the Bulls in the 2010-11 season and tallied 2.7 points per game. Although Rasual has expressed his desire to be with Chicago in the next season, the odds are that the Bulls will not be spending
on him.
On the other side, it is a fact that the Bulls desperately require assistance in outside shooting for which Butler is well-known and it will also help ease off the pressure from the shoulders of Derrick Rose.
For now though, he has a Spanish job in hand.
Tags: