The Toronto Raptors draft plans might need some slight adjusting after Monday night, as Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell, and the Baylor Bears throttled a previously undefeated Gonzaga team in order to win the program’s first national championship. The Jared Butler scouting report just got a few more interesting chapters added to it.
Despite an intimidating crew of scorers in Jalen Suggs and Corey Kispert on the other side, it was the dynamic backcourt duo of Butler and Mitchell that played an instrumental role in limiting the Bulldogs’ high-powered offense on the way to victory.
In his third season with the Bears, Butler led the team in scoring by averaging 16.7 points per game with some sterling efficiency numbers. If NBA front offices value production in March, they will certainly be interested in his services.
Butler’s draft stock has continuously shot up this season, and that rise could come to a crescendo in the coming days. Butler making a second All-Big 12 team while being named a consensus All-American and Most Oustanding Player of the Final Four has cemented him as one of the top point guards in the 2021 NBA Draft class.
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While ESPN views him as just the No. 26 player in the class and fifth-best point guard, Sports Illustrated has him ranked 20th overall, while Tankathon, Butler’s biggest fans, has him ranked 16th overall, one spot above Mitchell.
If the Raptors end up getting a pick near the end of the lottery or middle of the first round, does Butler make a ton of sense for them? Toronto will need to examine what he does well and how he could fit into the offense.
Jared Butler scouting report: Strengths
Perimeter scoring
First and foremost, Butler is a tremendous shooter, making 47% of his shots overall and 41.6% of his 3-point attempts despite averaging over six attempts per contest. With a sweet stroke, the ability to hit contested shots, and a willingness to create his own shot, Butler profiles as an excellent offensive point guard at the next level.
While mostly a 3-point specialist early in his Bears career, Butler has gradually expanded his offensive game. That ability to score from anywhere on the court at an average or above-average clip will be his meal ticket in the pros, as the wide variety of tools in his bag is uncommon for a point guard his size.
Scoring off of the dribble
As evidenced in the Gonzaga beatdown, Butler charging to the basket with a head of steam might be even more dangerous than Butler handing around the 3-point line. Butler is not only a tremendous finisher at the rim, but he could easily stop his dribble and get space for himself in order to rise and fire.
Butler might defer to Mitchell at times, but Baylor was one of the most efficient and consistent offenses in the country, and they wouldn’t have reached that mark if Butler was relegated to just being a spot-up shooter. The physicality of the pros will challenge him at first, but Butler should be expected to score right out of the gate.
Rebounding and defense
In an age where point guards are being asked to rebound and defend on the perimeter more than ever, Butler excels in both those statistics. 3.3 rebounds might not seem like a lot, but for a 6-3 guard on a team with so many great rebounders on it already, that’s an encouraging number.
Make no mistake, he is one of the best defenders in this class at any position.
Butler was a two-time conference All-Defensive team selection, and he owes that to his athletic ability. While he’s able to hand with speedier guards, his frame is solid and well-built enough to withstand the physical punishment some bigger guards and wings can dish out. Even as a rookie, Butler will be an issue on that end.
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.
Butler has a lot of similarities to Fred VanVleet in his style of play, as they are both two-way guards that are best used on offense as shooters that gave the green light whenever they want. However, the Raptors already have VanVleet on the roster, making Butler a bit redundant/
Given the presence of VanVleet and the suddenly resurgent Malachi Flynn, the Raptors might not be in the market for two-way point guards. If Butler did hypothetically end up in Toronto, and Lowry did leave, it wouldn’t be totally unreasonable for him to start with VanVleet as the shooting guard or be the first man off of the bench.
Toronto Raptors draft target Jared Butler might be a funky fit
With or without Kyle Lowry, Toronto will have serviceable point guard depth next year. Unless they’re in a position to draft a franchise-changer like Suggs or Cade Cunningham, Ujiri might choose to focus elsewhere. If Ujiri drafts for need over picking the best player available, Butler might not be headed to Toronto.
Butler is destined for a very long, very successful pro career due to his style of play, but the Raptors may not be the best fit for him if he wants immediate playing time. However, if the Raptors make enough moves in the offseason and a new young point guard is needed, Butler may end up in red and black by the end of the draft.