New Orleans Pelicans: 30 greatest players in franchise history

Rasual Butler was one of the more underrated shooters in New Orleans franchise history. He wasn’t a starter, but as a primary reserve, he played his role well as a sharpshooter off the bench.

Butler emerged as a sharpshooter off the bench for the Miami Heat during the first three seasons of his career starting in 2002. In his second year with the Heat (2003-04), he shot 46.3 percent from behind the arc during the regular season.

During the 2005 offseason, he was traded as part of a five-team deal by the Heat to the Hornets. His role expanded a ton when he joined the Hornets, with an emerging crew of Chris Paul and David West.

In his first year with the team, he knocked down 7-of-9 (77.8 percent) 3-point attempts in a 32-point performance. The Hornets won the game 120-108 victory in a game that saw Chris Paul and David West both put up 20+ points.

Butler knocked down a career-high 33 points during the 2006-07 NBA season against the Chicago Bulls back on Dec. 1, 2006. He shot 7-of-12 (58.3 percent) from 3-point land, although the performance came in a 3-point defeat. He wasn’t a volume shooter, but he’s a player that can catch fire in a hurry.

The best season of Butler’s career came in 2008-09 when he put up 11.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game on 39 percent shooting from behind the arc. He knocked down a then career-high 140 3-pointers as a member of the Hornets.

He drained 410 3-pointers across his four-year tenure in New Orleans. He ranks fifth all-time in franchise history in 3-pointers made, despite his short stay with the team.