Ready for the Hornets’ nest

Rasual Butler has experienced his share of highs and lows during his three-year NBA career. Some nights he was in the Miami Heat’s starting line-up alongside All-Star center Shaquille O’Neal, while others were spent on the bench.

Heading into his fourth NBA season, the Roman Catholic and La Salle University grad is ready to earn consistent minutes night after night. That opportunity could come with his new team, the New Orleans Hornets.

Butler, a native of 20th and Manton streets, was traded from the Heat to the Hornets last Tuesday as part of a five-team, 13-player trade, the largest in NBA history.

"Initially, I had mixed emotions because I wanted to come back and try and win a championship with the same team again," he said during a phone interview from New Orleans, La. "I am absolutely excited about the opportunity they have blessed me with here. In Miami, I would play 25 minutes one night and then I might not play the next."

The Heat got Butler as the 53rd pick in the 2002 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-7 forward played three seasons in South Florida with career averages of 6.9 points and 2.2 rebounds in 182 games.

Butler, 26, was in New Orleans Tuesday afternoon for his team physical and media meeting. Following the trade, in a story posted on the team’s Web site, Hornets’ General Manager Allan Bristow said Butler will help the team immediately in the small forward position.

"He will get a chance to play more minutes here and continue to develop his overall game while continuing to provide shooting, athleticism and defense," Bristow said.

The forward returned to Florida this week to pack up his things and then headed to New Orleans to get acquainted with his coaches and teammates.

"I want to start working with new the coaching staff and the strength and conditioning coaches to get ready for the preseason," he said.

IN MIAMI, BUTLER learned the NBA way. He went from star forward on the La Salle University basketball team, where he graduated fourth on the all-time scoring list with 2,125 points, to just another player on an NBA roster. In his 2002-03 rookie season, he played 21 minutes a night, which included starting 28 of 72 games, averaging 7.5 points and 2.6 rebounds a game. The following season, his minutes were trimmed to 15 a night and he only saw action in 45 of the Heat’s 82 games.

"It was tough, but it made me a lot stronger," he said. "You can’t allow your confidence to be rattled.

"[In the NBA], you have to earn your stripes all over again. A lot of people say they want to be the man, but they can’t handle being the man."

Things looked promising last summer when Butler signed a two-year contract with the Heat and was projected as a starting forward, a result of the trade for O’Neal. He ended up playing in just 65 games, starting 15 and averaging 18.5 minutes a night. In April, Butler scored a career high of 25 points in a 99-80 win over the Charlotte Bobcats. Coming off the bench, he made 11-of-14 field-goal attempts with 12 points coming in the fourth quarter.

O’Neal took Butler under his wing to help the then-third-year player make the necessary adjustments.

"He talked to me through the entire season and let me know that I was a good ball player and was going through something that most young players go through," the forward said. "He said to stay strong and continue working hard."

Sure enough, the advice paid off. Butler played in 12 playoff games, averaging 15.2 minutes, 4.7 points and 1.5 rebounds a game. The downside was the Heat missed its chance last season to advance to the NBA Finals – for the first time in franchise history – after losing Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Detroit Pistons. For the series, Butler averaged 18.3 minutes, 5.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.

Butler described playing in the Eastern Conference Finals as an "unbelievable dream come true."

"It’s the type of situation I was trash talking with friends about at Shot Tower Recreation Center as a kid," he said. "The reason you play this game is to try and win a championship."

"It was a great experience, and I hope to one day get back to that point."

Butler and his new teammates have a lot of work to do if they’re going to become one of the NBA’s upper-echelon teams. The Hornets finished the injury-plagued 2004-05 season with an 18-64 record. Now that Butler is heading into his fourth season, he is ready to share his knowledge with his younger teammates as the roster is comprised mostly of players with five years of NBA experience or less. He is looking to make an immediate impact.

"I know what it takes to be successful in this league and have the opportunity to start at small forward," he said.

Butler, who will be a free agent after next season, is ready to make the Hornets’ nest his new NBA home.

"Hopefully things will work out and I’ll be brought back," he said.