By Jeff Lenchiner
The top teams in the NBA have been adding the best available free agents these last few days, and the trend continued Thursday as the Chicago Bulls signed free agent guard/forward Rasual Butler. In accordance with team policy, terms of the contract were not announced.
Butler (6-7, 215) is currently in his ninth year in the NBA. Drafted by the Miami Heat with the 53rd pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, Butler has played for Heat, the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets and the Los Angeles Clippers. He appeared in 41 games (two starts) this year with the Clippers, and averaged 5.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg and 0.7 apg in 18.1 mpg.
In eight-plus seasons in the NBA, he has played in 598 regular season games (249 starts) and averaged 8.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 0.9 apg in 24.1 mpg, and shot .401 from the field, .361 from behind the arc and .751 from the line. The 31-year old Butler has also made three trips (27 games, six starts) to the NBA playoffs, where he has averaged 4.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 14.7 mpg, .407 field goal shooting, .414 from downtown and .833 from the free throw line.
Chicago’s roster now stands at 13 players.
With a 41-18 record, the Bulls are currently the third seed in the Eastern conference.
