The Denver Nuggets have signed C Brian Butch and G Coby Karl, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today. We assume these are nonguaranteed, short-term contracts but will update this tonight.
Butch, 6-11, 240, averaged 17.7 ppg and 11.9 rpg in 39 games for the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League this season. The University of Wisconsin product also was named MVP of the 2010 NBDL All-Star game after scoring 18 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.
Karl, 6-5, 215, averaged 19.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 26 games for the Idaho Stampede of the D-League. He joined the Stampede after being waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 6. Karl later signed a 10-day contract with Golden State and averaged 7.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists in four games for the Warriors. On Feb. 2, Karl had 12 points, seven assists and seven rebounds – all career-highs – against the Houston Rockets.
Karl, undrafted out of Boise State University, also played 17 games for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2007-08 season, and he was a member of the Nuggets’ 2009 summer-league team, averaging 15.0 points and 4.4 rebounds.
The Nuggets’ roster now stands at the league-maximum 15 players.
Butch and Karl represent the 37th and 38th call-ups to the NBA this season.
