They Got Their Guy – Introducing Jared Butler

Jared Butler should bring the Jazz rotation-quality defense, shooting and playmaking. (via ESPN)

Early Thursday evening, Tony Jones of the Athletic tweeted out that while the Jazz were open to moving the #30 pick they were hesitant to do so because they really liked one specific player who might be available at 30.

Things I’m currently hearing:

1. The Jazz are open to moving the #30 pick tonight

2. There is a specific player that could be available that is giving the Jazz a bit of pause on moving said pick (they really like this player)

3. The Jazz are active in trade discussions

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) July 29, 2021

When Jared Butler, a player who was ranked in the top 20 of this draft on most boards and as a lottery talent on some, really did fall to 30 the Jazz knew they could get their guy. But they gambled and traded #30 for #40 and two future 2nds knowing that there were other players they also liked still available even if Butler was taken in the next 9 picks. When he fell to #40, the celebration from the Jazz draft room could be heard in the media room. They got their guy. And they were able to get him while picking up two future 2nd round picks.

Who is Jared Butler?

Even though Dennis Lindsey is no longer running the Jazz front office, his family played an important part in Butler’s development and ultimate arrival with the Jazz. After a successful high school career that saw Butler win The Times-Picayune’s Player of the Year twice to go along with 3 state titles, he was surprised that he wasn’t being recruited more strongly by Baylor coach Scott Drew, a close friend of his high school coach who had recruited several other players from Riverside Academy in the past, including friend and mentor Demond “Tweety” Carter.

Butler initially committed to play for Alabama due to this apparent lack of interest but Baylor’s lack of recruitment was due to lacking a spot for another guard at the time. Then Dennis Lindsey’s son, Jake, who played for Baylor was diagnosed with Parsonage-Turner syndrome, a rare disease that forced his early retirement from basketball. With Lindsey’s departure, Baylor had an opening for a guard, Butler asked out of his commitment to Alabama and Butler began a college career that would become the best run of basketball in Baylor University history and culminate with him winning the NCAA title standing next to a guy named Mitchell and being recognized as the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

Despite playing 3 years for Baylor, Butler is still only 20 years old; he will turn 21 next month. He has won at every level and is said to be a natural leader who commands any room he steps into. At 6’3″ he’s not the tallest combo guard but he is used to playing in a multiple combo-guard system that maximized the talents of multiple guards with complementary skills next to Davion Mitchell and MaCio Teague (who will play for the Jazz Summer League team per reports). He has a great combination of core basketball skills that is surprisingly lacking in a lot of players, he can pass, dribble and shoot at a high level and is a plus-defender whose primary issue on defense is a result of size more than his IQ or effort. He is arguably the best ball-handler in the draft and can score in a variety of ways. He is a great shooter. Practicing against reigning NCAA Defensive Player of the Year Davion Mitchell seems to have helped him learn how to score against elite defenders.

Given the overall combination of leadership and high-value skills, Butler is the kind of player who can potentially crack the Jazz’s rotation in year 1 and contribute. On team without one of the best back courts in basketball, I believe he would have the potential to start. Given recent reports that Mike Conley is likely to re-sign with the Jazz, Butler should fit in naturally as a 3rd or 4th guard with Conley, Mitchell and Clarkson. Having shared back court duties with Teague and Mitchell for years will help him fit into any role he is assigned.

Why He Fell

I believe that Jared Butler was a lottery-level talent in a loaded draft. Nonetheless, he lacks upper-level athleticism and at 6’3″ with about a 6’5″ wingspan he doesn’t have elite size either, which means that he doesn’t have as high a ceiling as some of the players in the draft. A lack of vertical explosiveness means he doesn’t project to be a 3-level scorer and he may struggle to finish at the rim. His smaller size means that he can likely only defend two positions and could struggle against bigger guards. And in Baylor’s system, Davion Mitchell was responsible for most of the playmaking while Butler’s role was more as a secondary creator. Those relative weaknesses explain why he may not have been a lottery-pick or even have fallen to the mid-20s but they do not explain him falling all the way to 40.

On June 22, 2021, Butler was referred to a Fitness-to-Play Panel by the NBA. Butler reportedly had a heart condition that was known throughout his college career and pre-draft medical evaluations revealed an unspecified issue in one of his knees as well. Under the CBA players can be referred to a panel of physicians when a player and team disagree about the player’s physical ability to play in the NBA. The panel consists of three physicians: one chosen by the player, one chosen by the NBA and the third chosen by the first two. Once assembled the panel performs a full review of the players health and determines whether the player is physically capable of playing in the NBA.

On July 17, the Fitness-to-Play Panel officially determined that Butler was fully healthy and cleared to play in the NBA. For Butler to have been referred to a panel in the first place an NBA team would have had to express concerns about his health and it seems that multiple NBA teams may have had enough concern about his heart and knee to decide to pass on him in the draft. Clearly, the panel that reviewed his case and the Jazz medical team felt confident enough in the medicals to clear him.

I am fully healthy and cleared to play in the NBA! Out of an abundance of care, the NBA is incredibly thorough in vetting the health of every player during the pre-Draft process and throughout our careers. I am forever grateful that their comprehensive and strict health analysis

— Jared Butler (@J_Hooper11) July 17, 2021

A similar situation occurred just a few years ago with Michael Porter, Jr. who suffered from some major injuries while in college. Porter was never referred to a Fitness-to-Play panel but given concerns about his overall health many teams passed on him despite his clear talent and the Denver Nuggets were able to draft him in the late lottery after he had been projected to go much higher. That pick turned out pretty well for the Nuggets and I suspect the selection of Jared Butler may turn out pretty well for the Jazz.

Justin Zanik and the rest of the Jazz brain trust went into the draft wanting to add Jared Butler to the Jazz and hoping he would fall as low as 30. They took a huge gamble after Memphis offered multiple picks to move up 10 spots in the draft and that gamble paid off after Butler fell all the way to 40. He’s a much better talent than typically falls to the 40th pick. Butler has won at every level and shines in the biggest games. Just re-watch the National Title Game if you need proof. Here’s hoping he’ll get a chance to shine on the biggest stage for the Jazz as well. They got their guy.

For those inquiring: Jared Butler was the player I was referencing in the earlier tweet from today

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) July 30, 2021