I know, I’m nuts, but hear me out.

With the Rasual Butler signing, the Washington Wizards have almost rounded out their training camp roster and most of the players have been journeymen who haven’t played much pro basketball, however, Rasual Butler was once upon a time a very reliable role player. A career 36% 3 point shooter, Rasual Butler was a reliable spot up shooter and had the most success with the Chris Paul-led New Orleans Hornets and the pre-Chris Paul Los Angeles Clippers, where he hit a total of 410 threes in 4 seasons shooting 37.3%.

Unfortunately, Rasual Butler tailed off considerably as health issues and general poor play caught up with him, his worst season being 2011-2012, where he shot a paltry 30.8% from the field and 27.3% from 3. It had gotten so bad for Butler at this point that he was out of the league for the 2012-2013 NBA season.

However, he signed with the Indiana Pacers in 2013-2014 and had somewhat of a bounce back season, playing 50 games and shooting 42% from 3. Frank Vogel had trusted Butler enough to play minutes as a backup for a team that was desperate for it, as the Pacers were reeling partly due to the disappointing play of Evan Turner. While the Pacers were thin at that position, Rasual Butler showed himself to be dependable and durable enough to last the regular season and the playoffs with the Pacers.

–shot chart via Nylon Calculus

So, how can he help the Washington Wizards?

To answer that question, we must look back two years into the past. The Wizards, needing wing depth as they came to the tail end of the 2012 season had been scrounging the free agency scrap heap. After considering some veteran options and borderline players, the Wizards ended up signing Martell Webster, who’d fallen out of favor in Minnesota due to his near career-ending back issues and his shooting, which had badly regressed. Webster ended up having the best season of his career, especially after John Wall had returned from injury, being able to thrive in a role as a catch and shoot player with one of the crosscourt passers in the league.

Now, it’s fair to point out that Martell Webster was 26 when he signed with the Wizards and that Butler is 35. If Rasual Butler makes the final roster, he will also have to fight for minutes with Otto Porter, Glen Rice Jr. and later Webster himself when he returns from injury.

I am very aware that the chances of Butler making a big impact would be slim, but it’s an interesting enough idea that I think it deserves some thought. When shooters play with John Wall, they tend to shoot better. It happened to Martell Webster, it happened to Trevor Ariza, who’s to say that it can’t happen to Rasual Butler?