The Utah Jazz pulled off a rare feat in the 2021 NBA draft: they traded out of the first round, and they landed first round talent anyway.
Fresh off a national championship with Baylor, Jared Butler was comfortably projected to be selected in the first round of the draft, with some publications predicting as high as a late lottery selection for the young floor general. Instead, Butler was this year’s casualty of the draft’s unpredictable nature, and he found himself slipping to the 40th overall pick, falling into the hands of the Utah Jazz.
Some speculate that teams were apprehensive about Butler due to his diagnosed heart condition. Their loss. Butler is cleared to play, fills an immediate need for the Jazz, and has the potential to be the steal of the 2021 NBA Draft.
Here is a floor, median and ceiling comparison for Jared Butler heading into the 2021-22 NBA season.