The Kings signed Caron Butler to serve as a veteran leader on a team embroiled in a feud between DeMarcus Cousins and George Karl.
But Rajon Rondo has taken lead in that role, according to both Cousins and Rondo.
Where does that leave Butler?
Maybe Milwaukee.
Marc Stein of ESPN:
ESPN sources say Sacramento has promised veteran forward Caron Butler that it will trade him in coming days to find him a team with more PT
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 17, 2015
Sources say that a Caron Butler trade is expected after Christmas, if not sooner, with Milwaukee quickly emerging as the likely destinaiton
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 17, 2015
Bucks have young squad & clear need for veteran leadership after losing Jared Dudley & Zaza Pachulia to make financial room for Greg Monroe
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 17, 2015
The Bucks might need to replace Jared Dudley’s and Zaza Pachulia’s veteran leadership, but they definitely need to replace Dudley’s and Pachulia’s production.
I don’t see Butler helping there.
Milwaukee was always in danger of taking a step back by dumping Dudley, Pachulia and Ersan Ilyasova. Those veterans were quietly productive during last season’s surprising run to the playoffs. Signing Greg Monroe could pay off in the long run, but the younger Bucks are less ready to win now.
The 35-year-old Butler doesn’t do much offensively anymore besides spot-up, and his defense has gone with his athleticism. He’d be a positive in the locker room, but I don’t think that gets 10-16 Milwaukee into the playoffs.
I’m also uncertain why Butler would welcome that move. Butler – who grew up in nearby Racine, Wisc. – played for the Bucks in 2013-14. Like many players, he found playing near his hometown too distracting. Maybe he’d be more equipped to handle it this time, but he seems aware enough to understand and prefer to avoid the pitfalls.
What would the Bucks trade for him, anyway? Though Butler has a minimum salary, they can’t simply absorb him, because they have a full roster of 15 players. Milwaukee is so deep, it doesn’t have a player just to dump. Everyone is either productive or young enough to have the potential to become productive. That issue could also limit playing time for Butler – who has seen just 80 minutes in eight games for Sacramento – if he winds up in Milwaukee.
Plus, Butler has a player option for next season. I’m not sure how many teams want to be on the hook for paying him, even that small amount against a skyrocketing salary cap, in 2017.
Keeping this promise might be easier said than done for the Kings, though the Bucks have dropped a better younger player to add one of Jason Kidd’s former teammates before. I wouldn’t put it past them doing it again to reunite the former Mavericks.