The Los Angeles Clippers continue to tweak their roster in anticipation of a playoff run in 2009-10, as evidenced by four more player transactions involving Rasual Butler, Fred Jones, Mark Madsen and Alex Acker. Butler, acquired on August 12 from New Orleans for a conditional 2016 second round draft pick, had his best season as a professional in 2008-09, averaging 11.2 points and 3.3 rebounds while appearing in all 82 games for the playoff-bound Hornets. He also shot 37 percent from downtown. And Butler's three-point marksmanship is perhaps what appeals most to the Clippers, who haven't shown much interest in retaining resident long-range gunner Steve Novak. If Butler can come off the bench and light it up from afar, teams will have to gear up for him either replacing noted long-distance dialer Eric Gordon at shooting guard or stepping in at small forward and creating a matchup problem for the opposing team's second unit.
Jones will not be returning to the Clippers after signing a one-year contract with Italian team Angelico Biella on August 19. Jones appeared in 52 games in 2008-09, starting 21, and averaged 7.3 points, 3.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds per outing. He spent the majority of the season at the shooting guard position.
Madsen, meanwhile, was jettisoned on August 21, presumably because there was no suitable place for him besides the end of the bench, due to the young backup talent already entrenched down low in Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Also, Madsen's $2.8 million salary for 2009-10 was likely deemed too much for a high-character, low-output player approaching the end of a journeyman career.
And Acker, who, like Jones, couldn't figure out what the Clippers wanted to do with him, finally decided to pack up his things and head back to Europe to continue his basketball career on August 24. Acker previously suited up for Greek powerhouse Olympiakos in 2006-07 and Spanish League force FC Barcelona in 2007-08 and will play for Armani Jeans Milano of Italy in 2009-10. The departures of Acker and Jones clears the way for Butler, Ricky Davis and Sebastian Telfair at the backup guard positions.
