Jared Butler scouting report: Could he go from the national champs to the Toronto Raptors?

Jared Butler scouting report: Weaknesses

Distributing the ball consistently

One of the criticisms of Butler is the fact that he is a bit of a “tweener” in the eyes of some NBA scouts. He’s too small to be a full-time wing, but not a good enough passer to stick at point guard for the long haul. One of the main reasons Butler was assigned with this tag, is his average passing ability.

Baylor’s offense emphasized ball movement, but there were times where Butler just dominated the ball and looked for an avenue to score. When combined with a lack of truly elite first step off of the dribble, it makes to worry how quickly it will take Butler to adjust to the professional ranks.

Turning the ball over

Butler averaged around three turnovers per contest, and many of them are the result of playing a bit too cavalier at times. He’s a great scorer, and he knows it. However, choosing to take matters into his own hands has led to some poor offensive performances, including his five-point game in a loss against Kansas or a narrow win against Kansas State that featured seven turnovers.

Butler will almost assuredly not be the No. 1 scoring option when he gets drafted. Gone are the days where he can hold the ball and run the offense off of his ability to make shots. Rather, he’ll have to be a role player and facilitator that cuts down on turnovers. If he fails to do that, his rookie year might be a bit rough.