Clippers and Caron Butler

The Clippers today signed two-time NBA All-Star Caron Butler as a free agent. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.
"Caron completes what we believe to be a playoff caliber starting lineup," stated Vice President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey. "His professionalism, leadership abilities and basketball skills are an excellent addition to our existing roster composition and another step in building the culture necessary to create a model of sustainable success."

Butler, 30, averaged 15.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 29 games last season for the Dallas Mavericks, starting the first 29 games of 2010 before suffering a ruptured right patellar tendon, which forced him to miss the remainder of the season.

Originally drafted by the Miami Heat with the 10th overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft, Butler has appeared in 589 career games with Miami, the Lakers, Washington and Dallas and brings to the Clippers career averages of 16.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 36.3 minutes per game.

The six-foot-seven, 228 pound Butler appeared in the All-Star Game in 2007 when he led Washington with 19.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. A year later, Butler was again named an NBA All-Star, finishing the 2007-08 season as the only player in the NBA to average at least 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals.

A member of the 2002-03 NBA All-Rookie Team, Butler has appeared in 31 career playoff contests, averaging 16.4 points and 7.8 rebounds in the postseason.

Now entering his ninth NBA season, the Racine, Wisconsin native played two years at the University of Connecticut, averaging 18.0 points and 7.6 rebounds in 63 career games while leading the Huskies to the Elite 8 in 2002 and earning Co-Big East Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-American honors.

In a related move the Clippers renounced their rights to free agents Ike Diogu, Jamario Moon and Craig Smith.