Jared Butler did not play with the Utah Jazz during the Las Vegas Summer League, but that hasn’t prevented the second-round pick from leading his team in scoring during the preseason.
Butler on Wednesday produced a team-high 22 points, four assists and one rebound during a 111-101 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He finished the contest by shooting 9-of-18 from the field, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range.
The 22-point outburst followed up a strong preseason debut, in which Butler recorded a team-high 16 points off of the bench.
The Jazz have opted to rest several of their starters, including Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles, which has opened the door for Butler. With those players resting, Butler has had the opportunity to showcase his ability and build positive momentum heading into the season.
Butler believes the strong start will help him set the tone for this season.
“I think it has just been confidence,” Butler said. “I’m real big on how I feel out there, what type of player am I going to be in this league. Getting off to a good start is good because that just kinda sets the tone for my whole trajectory and where I want to be.”
📹| @J_hooper11 ⤵️
22p | 4a | 3 3pm | 1r pic.twitter.com/2xXj6lTEDj
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) October 7, 2021
Of course, Butler missed summer league due to a heart condition that required clearance from a Fitness-to-Play panel. He was eventually cleared to resume on-court activities but dropped to the Jazz at No. 40 in the draft, likely because of those concerns.
He was viewed as a potential first-round prospect because of his ability on the court and could emerge as a potential steal for the Jazz. He projects to check quite a few boxes for the Jazz given his ability as a floor spacer and ability to drive to the hole.
Butler may not see a ton of playing time with the Jazz because of the number of veterans on the roster but the 21-year-old is certainly proving he can contribute off the bench. He will have to fight for playing time but could outperform his draft slot this season.
The Jazz return to action on Monday versus the New Orleans Pelicans.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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