Caron Butler Waived by Kings: Latest Comments and Reaction
The Sacramento Kings waived veteran forward Caron Butler on Monday, per The Vertical's Shams Charania.
Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported the Miami Heat could be in the running to sign Butler now that he's a free agent.
In June, Charania reported Butler exercised his player option for next year, so the Kings will still be on the hook for the $1.5 million he's due for the 2016-17 season.
On Sunday, CSNBayArea.com's James Ham reported the Kings agreed to terms on a two-year, $12 million deal with Matt Barnes. With Barnes backing up Rudy Gay at the 3, Butler would've had a hard time earning much playing time in Sacramento.
The Miami Herald's Manny Navarro sees Butler as a realistic target for the Heat:
Signing Butler would make sense for a playoff contender. He could potentially be what James Jones was for the Cleveland Cavaliers this year. Jones didn't feature heavily for the Cavs as they won their first NBA title, but Kevin Love posted a heartfelt message on Instagram highlighting how much Jones helped him behind the scenes.
Butler has played in the league for 14 years and made seven trips to the playoffs, so he'd command immediate respect in any NBA locker room.
Even at 36 years old, Butler might still be able to contribute in a meaningful way on the court. He's just one year removed from averaging 5.9 points per game and shooting 37.9 percent from beyond the arc with the Detroit Pistons.
Butler is bound to find a home sooner rather than later as teams fill out their rosters this summer.
