Spurs sign Da’Sean Butler

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Alex Kennedy initially reported and the team just announced that the San Antonio Spurs have signed former West Virginia University star Da’Sean Butler.

This is a smart move simply because it has no downside. Butler was a brilliant player in college whose draft stock plummeted after he suffered the injury shown above, which I found to be one of the more tragic and moving scenes I’ve ever witnessed on a basketball court. If Butler, who is still rehabbing his torn ACL, can eventually recapture any semblance of that brilliance, this will have been a worthwhile signing. In all likelihood, he won’t have a huge impact but there’s practically no risk involved. Any way you look at it, it’s a good signing.

  • Hobson13

    This could be a real nice move not for this year, but for next. Butler may be the Spurs solution to an RJ backup. He is a big dude at 6’8″ and 230lbs and would allow JA to slide over to the 2 spot. He had a great college career and would have gone MUCH MUCH higher in the draft had he not suffered that injury. This is a low risk/high reward move by the Spurs especially if he can return to form.

  • Rick Ashford

    When you take into account the impending lockout, he wouldn’t have to be ready to play for us for a while. Plenty of time to get himself right. Great signing.

  • ITGuy

    Butler will wear #1 for the Spurs.

    Go Spurs Go!!

  • Jacques

    Love this guy. Great to see him here. Won’t get minutes for now, but this is a good signing. Go Spurs!

  • Joel

    As an avid WVU fan it is good to see Da’Sean go to a solid team with a great coach and system. The Spurs are getting a first round caliber player. I’m not sure how much more rehab he needs…..the doctors cleared him, but I don’t know to what extent. He is a great player and a great person. Well done San Antonio!

  • http://www.operaforthemasses.com David G

    As a WVU grad I’m glad he’s getting a shot with a great franchise.

  • Anthony McDonald

    The Spurs Front office is absolutley running laps around the other teams. This is a great move….not good….great. Miami drafted this guy and gave up on him……stupid. I think he can backup RJ for a year or 2 and then become the starter (he was that good).

    The Spurs continue to find players….competent players. Now, I just need the FO to somehow swindle Tyler Hansborough from the Pacers. Pop would love him…..

  • Justin

    Love the signing, rooting for this guy to have success. Hope he can make the team next year and contribute.

  • grego

    I honestly think of this as an early Spurs draft pick. A guy who, if not injured would have been out of their level of picks.

    If he sticks and they can get JA up to speed next season, we might begin to see Manu get more rest next season.

  • grego

    Per his Twitter. I like him already….

    http://twitter.com/thedaseanbutler
    Like a good neighbor State Farm is there…..!!!!! w/ a new job! Everybody I’m a #Spur :) #winning

  • S. Boggs

    I just wanted to let everyone in the Spurs fan base know that Da’ Sean is at 100% and ready to make an impact. He wanted to be at this level before he looked for/accepted offers. Congratulations on getting such a wonderful representative of our great state!!!!

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  • Hobson13

    Here are a couple of videos I found on Da’Sean. One is from draft night and the other shows his game.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em8wD4jAyGw&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGSH0CU9SKA&feature=related

    He seems to be a good shooter, has a decent post up game, and is a decent passer. He is not a great athlete, but he is big. IMO, he should replicate his game around a Paul Pierce type SF.

    grego
    March 25th, 2011 at 12:17 pm

    Agreed. Look, if it weren’t for that knee injury he would have gone a lot higher than 42nd in the draft. Miami drafted him and paid him money to rehab. Now the Spurs can come in and teach him how to play. There’s no risk involved for the Spurs, but we could come away with a lottery type player since the kid took his team to the Final Four and was Second Team All American last year. He’s got potential, let’s hope he can stick. If he can then we’ll have Da’Sean and Dejuan (Both Big East ballers) in our front court next year.

  • MK

    This guy is a protytpical Spurs. Great character and maturity. Understated. Less than 2 ACL’s.

  • Casey

    I’m not one to brag, but a while back there was a discussion mostly about what potential SF’s we may look to bring in mid-season, and I threw this name out even though he was hurt. It’s just good to see the Spurs are rewarding my hard work in the scouting department! =P

  • GUESSWHO

    At least this will help is in the long scheme of things meaning post TD era I guess. The immediate thought is that if he can be Rj’s back up 3 next year that JA can slide to the two and rest Manu even more. But its better not to look into it to much for know. Might as well just focus on the task at hand.

  • http://mvgennero@yahoo.com mvg03

    I like this move…but im i the only one that gets sick when i hear somebody backing up RJ for the next year or two. We need to find a starting small forward. RJ should come off the bench next year or try to move him. I know we need a “big” more than anything but RJ does so little while playing 30+ min. I cant help but wonder what are bench players could do with more PT. There so much more productive

  • TD = Best EVER

    @ mvg03

    + 10

    There has to be someone that can help us THIS Year or take RJ’s spot next year…….. The idea that we bring back this same team next year makes me nauseous

  • DBAGuy

    Thanks Pop, thats 2 games you’ve lost in a row. Why no Splitter or Dice in last 2 games. Why can’t you call a play at the end, except just give the ball to Manu for him to invent something. I think anyone can do that. These 2 games have been the worst coaching job I’ve seen from the Spurs. Can someone ask Pop why neither Dice or Splitter have played in the 4rth quarter in both losses?

  • hassan

    Wow.. 4 bad plays back to back…it’s must be our fate……….

    TP turnover then Manu Turnover then a bad out of bounds play by Novak(now let’s start hatting on him…sarcacm) and then bad defense on out of bounds with 0.9 seconds …wow again…

    The Spurs suck..on defense and have become too predictable on last minute offense & teams have figured them and POP’s iso manu plays….. he is tired by the end of the game anyway as he just chucks 3′s now and tired to go to the hoop anyway and he turned it over.

    I am officially convinced that they are done this year…….let’s start thinking about next year…

  • http://espn.com texasj

    didnt get to see the game tonight, just now saw the score though. tough back to back losses, but i guess we all shouldve expected them to peter out at some point or another. hell theyve played pretty good ball up to this point, just sucks to see them windle down this close to playoff time. reading these comments about splitter not playing decent minutes is a head scratcher. i figured these last couple of weeks pop would play him significantly especially with duncan out. splitter has shown promise in the 2 games prior. all hope it not lost though its just two games. keep your heads up. spurs are still talented enough to contend

  • jking000

    I love how two games without timmy that have come down to the wire against competitive teams and people are ready to say that “I am officially convinced that they are done this year…….let’s start thinking about next year…”

    Really? Best record in the league, played two really competitive road games against two good teams without the anchor of our team and suddenly we’re done? relax.

  • betsyduncan

    Thanks for talking me off the ledge, jking000! LOL!

  • TheRed&Black

    Anybody,

    Why was Novak allowed to pass the inbound. What was POP thinking? I can’t come up with anything.

  • jacobd

    @TheRed&Black

    I saw the highlights with Novak passing the inbound on the final play … I though the exact thing to myself – wth?

    I dont think it’s time to write off our guys .. two tough road games and not to mention we should have Timmy back early April… of course its not the situation we’d hope to be in during the final stretech but have a little faith!

    Back on subject.. this is a great signing! It sounds like the guy is working his tail off to get rehabilitated

  • jking000

    Three just uncharacteristically absurd mistakes at the end, especially Novak for the inbound. But whatever, these things happen during the course of the season.

  • Hrmm

    Actually Jking, late game Manu turnovers have become waaay too common. Whether it’s defenses that key in on him because the Spurs aren’t giving Gary Neal the ball (and TD is weakened/out), or exhaustion, something’s not quite right. I think Pop needs to start resting Manu till the last 5 or so, or for the last 5.

  • spursgermany

    Some of you guys just do not seem to realize THAT
    The Spurs FO and the Spurs teams have won 4 championships, BECAUSE WE CAN PRODUCE ON D-DAYS PLAYOFFS and i am very sure in Blazers and Nuggets will be no match for the Spurs in a 7 SERIES GAMES IF we just held on HCA, not even Lakers or Mavs; and concerning our execution the assistants coaches and POP himself have seen noticed these NON-SPURS uncharacteristicall plays
    In God We trust IN God i trust AND IN POP!!
    So i am just looking forward to the 7th game of WCF at the AT&T Center who ever will come out
    because the harder the the sweeter the victory
    GOD BLESS YOU ALL

  • clearlybehind

    I hope atleast one day we get some comments going without someone pointing out that Pop has won 4 championship. Not everything we touch turns into gold. We have not had a super draft since Manu Ginobili/TP. We are winning with these 3 guys and some nuts and bolts. Meanwhile I am sure guys here can point to some draft and signing botches.

    I am not siding with doom and gloom here but can we allow people to express without somebody pointing out how great Pop is and our front office is?

    Yes, we are happy we have 4 championships but we wish for a fifth. Yes, we know that Pop knows more than us, but we can also point to flubs like why Parker was on defense ahead of maybe RJ( or a longer body) with .9 secs left and us having virtually no chance of an offensive possesion.

  • idahospur

    We did draft Dejuan Blair last year. He has performed better than what other teams gave him credit for and will continue to develop in this league until his knees explode.

  • MG3

    i like the pickup i wonder how far he is from recovery it would be nice for him to be 100% is the injury going to affect his atheticism this are the things im concerned about. we dont need anymore spot up shooters we get killed on the defense end at times for the lack of talent. I know some of yall agree with me but thats what we need speed strength and size at the 4 and 5 spots an interesting article to put up would be who we plan on drafting this year. and an update on his recovery.

  • grego

    Hill/Blair/Anderson/Neal/Butler/Green – nice set of young guys to start building around. Spurs FO doing a very nice job. This is something they didn’t do as well in the past. They definitely learned from their past.

  • http://www.bpifanconnect.com Alix Babaie

    Great signing of a high character guy. Will fit into the Spurs mold without a doubt.

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