Chicago Bulls GM Gar Forman chose to stand pat at the recently passed NBA trade deadline. But he still has the opportunity to make a waivers signing, and it looks as though he's going to do just that. Thanks to a helpfully bold statement by agent Andy Miller (no relation to your humble narrator), Rasual Butler, recently of the Los Angeles Clippers, appears destined to don a Bulls uniform in the not-too-distant future.
↵Butler was a second round pick of the Miami Heat in the 2002 NBA draft. The 31-year-old, six-foot-seven guard/forward isn't particularly great at anything, which at least partly explains why the Clippers waived him on Feb. 27. Yet, over the course of nine seasons, he's developed into a solid swingman who could fortify the Bulls bench, particularly after the trade of James Johnson.
↵Many believe Rasual is an underrated defender -- and head coach Tom Thibodeau may as well. What's more, though he's shooting only 32.3% from the field so far this season, Butler sports a 36.1% career three-point field goal percentage. League average at the moment is 35.8%. So, all in all, he projects as a decent to even surprisingly good backup for Luol Deng.
↵A fair number of fans remain a tad bitter about Forman's lack of action at the trade deadline. And many more still are longing for a replacement for Keith Bogans in the Bulls' starting five. Assuming Butler is added (there's been no official confirmation as of this writing), he may ease a few minds regarding the former but won't likely bring much comfort on the latter. Coach T will probably keep rolling Bogans onto the floor in the opening minutes for his intangible (and, often, unseeable) contributions.
↵Still, this could very well turn out to be a good depth signing for a team that's been digging deep and finding ways to win all season. Catch the Bulls tonight on the road against the Atlanta Hawks. For a game preview, click here.