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

cody taylor
·2 min read

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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