Tag: Jared Butler

Jazz rookie Jared Butler goes for 26 points on assignment in G League

Butler produced a team-high 26 points to lead the Salt Lake City Stars in a loss in the G League.

Utah Jazz rookie Jared Butler on Wednesday produced a team-high 26 points to lead the Salt Lake City Stars in a loss to the Agua Caliente Clippers on assignment in the NBA G League.

Butler neared a double-double in the contest, recording nine assists, three rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots in 30 minutes of work. He finished by shooting 9-of-20 from the field, including 4-of-10 from 3-point range.

The contest was his fifth of the season with the Stars and third with at least 26 points. He has played sparingly to this point with the Jazz and had the opportunity to log extended minutes on Wednesday.

Butler is averaging just 1.7 points in 4.6 minutes across 14 appearances with the Jazz this season. With playing time limited, the opportunity to play with Salt Lake City should prove to be highly beneficial for him to stay ready and continue his development.

He certainly looked sharp in his latest appearance with the Stars.

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Davion Mitchell, Jared Butler swap jerseys after first NBA meeting

The former Baylor teammates swapped jerseys with each other on Friday after meeting on the court for the first time in the NBA.

Former Baylor Bears teammates Davion Mitchell and Jared Butler swapped jerseys with each other on Friday after meeting on the court for the first time in the NBA.

Mitchell and Butler were teammates for three seasons and helped lead the Bears to the national championship last season. They combined to score 37 points in the title game as Butler was named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player and Mitchell was an All-American.

The contest on Friday proved to be close as Butler and the Utah Jazz walked away with the 110-101 win over Mitchell and the Sacramento Kings. Butler logged only two minutes, while Mitchell had three points, four assists and four steals in 31 minutes of work.

Butler admitted this week that it would be extremely weird to face Mitchell in the NBA after being teammates for so long. He credited Mitchell for helping him improve his game after going up against him so much in practice over the years.

The two players achieved the ultimate success in college after winning the national title and both look to have bright futures ahead in the NBA. The moment on Friday was likely one they won’t forget for a long time.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Jared Butler says it’ll be extremely weird to face Davion Mitchell in NBA

Butler faced Mitchell on the court plenty of times in practice at Baylor but admitted it will be odd to face him in the NBA.

Jared Butler faced Davion Mitchell on the court plenty of times during practice at Baylor but the Utah Jazz guard admitted it will be rather odd to see him in the NBA.

Butler and Mitchell were teammates for three seasons and helped lead the Bears to the national championship last season. They combined to score 37 points in the title game as Butler was named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player and Mitchell was an All-American.

The two will now face each other on Friday as Mitchell and the Sacramento Kings will host Butler and the Jazz. The game, Butler admitted, will be extremely weird.

It is going to be extremely weird for me because it’s like Davion has always been on my team. I’m always rooting for him and now I’m going to be like rooting for him but not rooting for him, you know?

Butler said the opportunity to face Mitchell in practice helped him improve his game. Mitchell was named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year last year and made a name for himself on that end of the floor, earning the “Off-night” nickname.

It is always getting brought up but going against Jrue Holiday, I was like, ‘I’ve gone against the miniature Jrue Holiday my whole college career!’ Davion is a special guy, special talent. He has helped me out a ton, I know that for sure.

The contest between the Jazz and Kings should prove to be very entertaining, as both teams will enter the contest 1-0 after winning on Wednesday. The battle between Butler and Mitchell will also be a nice footnote, if they are matched up with each other.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Jared Butler made a strong case in preseason why he belongs in Jazz rotation

Butler wrapped up the preseason by averaging 18 points, 4.3 assists, 1.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals in three games.

Jared Butler knows, as a rookie, that finding a place in the rotation with the Utah Jazz is an uphill battle, which is why the second-round pick used the preseason to prove his case why he belongs.

Butler finished off the preseason by recording 16 points, seven assists and three rebounds on Wednesday in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The performance marked his third double-digit effort of the preseason as he scored at least 16 points in each contest.

The 40th overall pick wrapped up the preseason by averaging 18 points, 4.3 assists, 1.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals. He currently leads all rookies in scoring average during the preseason, and looked to be one of the top first-year players.

Butler hoped he showed enough to warrant a spot in the rotation.

I think it’s all about trust. If I’m a head coach playing as the team with the best record in the league, why do I need to put this rookie in? That’s how I’m looking at it and I’m just trying to make the case of why you should. Any way I can help, that’s all I’m trying to do.

The Jazz used Butler in a number of different ways throughout the preseason. He was tasked with running the offense at times, and playing more off of the ball other times. He even had the opportunity to play with the starters in some spurts.

Butler earned praise from teammate Donovan Mitchell for playing with poise. He has proven that he can read the offense and make the right plays to get his teammates involved, while also playing with the necessary aggressiveness to create for himself.

Mitchell believes finding that balance will be key for him this year.

Understanding that balance, I think, is the biggest thing with him. You see it in a four-game span in the preseason that he is able to pick up that really quickly and be able to adjust. It’s going to be a learning experience. There are going to be ups and downs but just stay even-keeled throughout.

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 certainly proved what he is capable of in the preseason.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Jared Butler once again led Jazz in scoring during loss to Mavericks

With several starters resting, Butler is making the most of his opportunity with the Jazz in the preseason.

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.”

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.

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Oregon will be hosting the defending champion Baylor

Baylor, the men’s basketball defending champions, will be making a return trip to Eugene on Dec. 18.

The last time Oregon played Baylor, it was in 2018 and it was a defensive slugfest with the Bears coming out on top 57-47.

Don’t expect a similar contest this time around.

Baylor, coming off its first-ever national championship, announced its non-conference portion of its schedule and Oregon sits there with a Dec. 18 date at Matthew Knight Arena.

In that first game with the Bears, Oregon had a hard time scoring in the first before managing to rally after halftime only to run out of gas late as Baylor preserved the 10-point victory.

Baylor won’t quite be the same as they were in 2020-21, but they still possess a lot of firepower and should still be one of the top teams in the country.

Baylor guards Davion Mitchell and Jared Butler were both selected in the 2021 NBA Draft as Mitchell was chosen No. 9 overall in the first round by the Sacramento Kings, while Butler was selected No. 40 overall in the second round by the New Orleans Pelicans, later traded to the Utah Jazz.

The Ducks shouldn’t have any problems with scoring this season as Dana Altman has been able to load his roster with transfer guards such as De’Vion Harmon via Oklahoma and Quincy Guerrier via Syracuse to go with returning starting point guard Will Richardson.

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Jazz rookie Jared Butler working out with Celtics’ Payton Pritchard

Butler recently worked out with Celtics guard Payton Pritchard in Los Angeles ahead of the start of his rookie campaign in the NBA.

Utah Jazz rookie Jared Butler recently worked out with Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard in Los Angeles ahead of the start of his rookie campaign in the NBA.

Butler, who was the 40th overall pick, was spotted going through a workout with NBA trainer Olin Simplis. The gym has hosted several other NBA players over the offseason, including Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Evan Mobley and Memphis Grizzlies center Steven Adams.

The workout with Butler is one of the first images fans have seen of him participate in on-court activities. He was medically cleared by a Fitness-to-Play panel in July and did not play in summer league as he was still in the process of ramping up his workouts.

The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds and two steals in 30 games last season, earning All-Big 12 first-team honors in the process. He shot 41.6% from 3-point range on 6.2 attempts per game on the season.

Butler was viewed by many as a first-round prospect and could be a potential steal candidate with the Jazz given his draft position. Based on his workout footage, he certainly appears to be ready to get to work this season.

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Jazz rookie Jared Butler describes getting medically cleared by panel

The process of getting cleared to play in the NBA next season, as Butler said, was thorough and comprehensive.

Utah Jazz rookie Jared Butler on Saturday described the process of getting medically cleared to play next season in the NBA by a Fitness-to-Play panel after previously experiencing a heart condition.

Butler was reportedly diagnosed with a heart condition when he first committed to play at Alabama in 2018. Following the testing results, he transferred to Baylor and was cleared to play as a full participant in each of the past three seasons with the Bears.

The 40th overall pick announced last month that he had been cleared by the panel and was free to resume on-court workouts and exercises. Prior to receiving clearance, he was not permitted to conduct workouts with teams and could only interview and visit with executives and scouts.

The process of getting cleared, as Butler said, was thorough and comprehensive.

Whatever the field of interest is, they get three doctors: One from the NBA, one from the NBA Players Association and those doctors collaborate on getting a third doctor to make it a three-person panel. I got a chance to speak before the panel (along with) my agent and some other representatives I wanted to state my case and give last remarks about why I should play. They deliberated and talked through it and ultimately came to the decision.

Butler was widely considered to be a first-round pick after a strong junior campaign with Baylor but eventually dropped to the second round. His health concerns likely contributed to falling down draft boards, despite receiving full clearance by the panel.

On the court, Butler figures to be a huge steal candidate for the Jazz.

The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds and two steals in 30 games last season, earning All-Big 12 first-team honors in the process. He shot 41.6% from 3-point range on 6.2 attempts per game on the season.

Butler likes the fit with the Jazz, on and off of the court.

I like how they shoot a lot of 3s. Obviously, at Baylor, we shot a lot of 3s: Catch and shoot, off the dribble, pick and roll. I’m extremely excited about that and I feel like the culture here is also something I can really adjust to. Just really great people, honestly, and that’s what I’m about. Just trying to be a fit and build up a culture that is an inspiration to other people.

Butler projects to check quite a few boxes for the Jazz given his ability as a floor spacer. He is unsure if he will participate with Utah in summer league, but maintained that he is fully healthy and ready to go if that decision is made.

Utah kicks off summer league in Salt Lake City on Tuesday versus the Memphis Grizzlies.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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A roundup of NBA sleepers draft analysts are higher on than others

Who owns the most real estate on Davion Mitchell Island? Who is buying stock in Sharife Cooper?

Everyone loves Cade Cunningham. It’s not a hot take for an analyst to say that Cunningham is their favorite player in the class. That’s not particularly interesting to read, either.

But what is fascinating, however, is when an analyst deviates from the norm and ranks someone significantly higher than where the prospect falls in other rankings. What does that tell us about their individual scouting process and what they value? Further, what does that tell us about the potential draftee?

Some folks call it “buying stock” in a player. Others, like ESPN’s Zach Lowe or The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, call it owning real estate on a player’s island. I like to refer to it as a “draft crush” when I wind up higher than consensus in my evaluation of a player.

My process is ridiculously tedious but the results can be fairly useful. I’ve tracked the evolution of more than sixty unique mock drafts, big boards and draft models from trusted analysts and popular accounts on Twitter.

Each placement is assigned a value based on Kevin Pelton’s draft pick trade value chart. I do this because, as Pelton notes, the difference in relative value between the No. 5 overall pick and the No. 7 overall is much more stark than, say, that of the No. 45 pick and the No. 47 pick.

After composing an aggregate score based on each ranking, I can see where each analyst strays from the pack.

I’ll leave the conclusions drawn from these results up to the reader. But if nothing else, this can eventually be used as a bragging point if one writer was higher than consensus on a draftee who eventually ends up outperforming his draft position.

Final 2021 NBA Mock Draft: Latest intel, trade rumors and predicting all 60 picks

Wasn’t it just the 2020 NBA draft? How is the 2021 NBA draft already here? Crazy, maybe, but the league is about to have a ton of new faces.

Wasn’t it just the 2020 NBA draft? How is the 2021 NBA draft already here? Crazy, maybe, but the league is about to have a ton of new faces.

The names that you’re most likely to hear at the top are Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green and Evan Mobley. But the draft will start heating up once guys like Jalen Suggs, Scottie Barnes and Jonathan Kuminga start to find their new homes.

This draft will also be unique in that there will be fewer players in attendance than usual. According to one prospect who recently spoke to For The Win, due to COVID-19 restrictions, those not invited to the green room are not allowed to come to the stage and shake the hand of the commissioner as they have been in years past.

Regardless of who is actually in the building, however, it is certain to be an exciting and life-changing night for the next generation of NBA talent.

Based on conversations I’ve had with scouts around the league, and from reports and tea leaves left in other mock drafts from trusted draftniks, below is how I project the events will unfold at Barclays Center and on ESPN and ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET on July 29.