Da'Sean Butler Signs with San Antonio Spurs

Da'Sean Butler has signed with the San Antonio Spurs for the rest of the 2011 NBA season. By signing Butler now, he also becomes eligible to play in the postseason for them. While it would definitely be interesting to see Butler make it into the NBA Playoffs, the reality is that he probably won't see much action this year. What it could mean though, is an opportunity to prove himself so that he can make the active roster in the 2011-12 season.

It was just confirmed that Butler had signed with the Spurs after the Miami Heat decided to pass on the rookie. They signed him during the offseason after selecting Butler in the 2010 NBA Draft, but ended up releasing him as his rehabilitation took a bit longer than expected. That rehab was on an injury that he had sustained in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, and now Butler has finally worked his way back.

Butler played college basketball for the West Virginia Mountaineers and helped lead them to a lot of promise in the 2009-10 season. He averaged 17.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, and there were many analysts who considered him to be a lottery selection in the coming draft. Unfortunately, the whole country saw those dreams come crashing down, as during the second half of their Final Four game against Duke ended up being his last time on the floor.

Butler was hurt about as bad as a basketball player can be on the court, with a torn ACL, a torn MCL, and two bone bruises from hitting the court. It all happened when he was driving hard to the basket and Butler seemed to simply plant his leg wrong. The injury ended his college career, and dropped him out of the discussions of being an early selection in the draft. The Miami Heat decided to take him with their second round selection, and ended up giving him a nice two-year contract before he was even able to take the floor again.

Butler was signed for $473,000 in the 2010-11 season and $300,000 for the 2011-12 season, getting him at least a small payday in professional basketball. That is money that Miami owes him no matter what, and it made an easy decision for the Spurs to sign him for the rest of this season. He could be sent to the D-League right away, or he could be kept on the active roster to provide someone at the very end of the bench or become someone that can help in practice drills.

This is a player that many people want to succeed, mostly because of how far he has come, but also because it was hard to see a young kid finish his senior season in college only to get hurt in his final game. Now Butler has the chance to prove himself once again, and it would be very nice to see him find success.

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