8. Caron Butler, SF, 2002 Draft, Round 1, 10th Overall
Caron Butler was one of those draft picks that made an immediate impact during his rookie season.
On four separate occasions Butler was named Rookie of the Month in his first season in the NBA. He averaged 15.3 points per game during the 2002-03 campaign, and was one of the few bright spots of a lowly 25-win campaign for the franchise that season.
The small forward continued to play a pivotal role in his second season in Miami, averaging 12.8 points while starting all 13 postseason games during the team’s playoff run in 2004.
Butler’s career in South Beach was cut short when he was traded in a package deal for the Los Angeles Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal during the summer of 2004.
In spite of this, Butler continues to be a mainstay on an NBA roster having completed his 13th professional season with the Detroit Pistons in 2015.
Next: Steve Smith
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