Fanhouse’s Chris Tomasson is reporting that the Nuggets have signed Bakersfield Jam center Brian Butch to a non-guaranteed contract for the remainder of the season. He’s tall, he’s white, he played at Wisconsin and his nickname is “Polar Bear”. In other words, he’s a true “Stiff” as defined by the legendary Doug Moe and thus, I love him already!
Not since Ryan Bowen and Mark Pope walked through the Pepsi Center doors have the Nuggets had a bonafide Stiff on their roster. And thus, we should welcome Brian “Polar Bear” Butch (his actual nickname, not something I made up) with open arms.
I don't remember much about Butch from his Wisconsin days, but according to his Wikipedia page, he only averaged 12.4 points and 6.6 rebounds as a senior. In the NBDL, however, Butch has thrived, averaging 17.7 ppg and 11.9 rpg and was this year's NBDL All-Star Game MVP.
Tomasson is calling the move to sign Butch a "Mark Warkentien specialty," referring to the Nuggets soon-to-be-free-agent vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien who signs guys at the very end of the season to guarantee their participation on the Nuggets summer league team while giving the organization the flexibility to trade a non-guaranteed contract over the summer. Of course, it's possible that Warkentien won't even be around to trade Butch, but we'll debate that issue another day.
For now, let's welcome Butch to Denver. I suspect he'll get no playing time unless the Nuggets are either blowing someone out or are getting blown out. But hey, that's what true Stiffs are for!
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
