Who is John Butler? Evaluating the career trajectory of the new Portland Trail Blazer
With the NBA regular season starting on Tuesday, teams are looking to round off their roster. The Portland Trail Blazers were the latest team to do so after signing former Florida State big man John Butler on a two-way contract.
John Butler declared for the 2022 draft after playing a season at Florida State. However, the 7-foot-1 center couldn't find a taker. Butler was picked by the New Orleans Pelicans for the NBA Summer League. The Pelicans also signed him to a two-way contract but waived him a few days later.
Butler is the second two-way player on the Trail Blazers right now alongside former Kentucky Wildcat Oliver Sarr. Butler averaged 8.5 points on 67% three point shooting, along with 3.7 boards and one block while playing in the NBA Summer League.
Butler, who weighs around 174 pounds and has a 7-foot-2 wingspan, had a decent run at Florida State. The big man averaged 5.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks during his one-year stay at the school.
The Portland Trail Blazers plan to sign former Florida State product John Butler on a two-way NBA contract, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The 7-foot-1 big man spent summer league and preseason with the Pelicans and now lands a roster spot.
Portland Trail Blazers look to bounce back after a disappointing 2021-22 season
The Portland Trail Blazers did not make the playoffs for the first time last season since Damian Lillard joined the franchise in 2012. The Trail Blazers have been a consistent playoff team in the years since his arrival.
However, they'll spot a different look this time around. After superstar Damian Lillard was ruled out of the season after undergoing surgery for an abdominal injury in January 2021, the Trail Blazers finally decided to revamp their roster.
The franchise dealt longtime star CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans at the trade deadline. Without Lillard and McCollum, the Trail Blazers ended up tanking during the remainder of the season and ended up with a lottery pick. The franchise drafted Shaedon Sharpe as the 7th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
The Trail Blazers also acquired wing Jerami Grant and defensive guard Gary Payton II during the off-season. With youngster Anfernee Simons ready to step into McCollum's shoes and the Trail Blazers adding much-needed defensive-minded players to their roster, they might be ready for another journey led by their superstar Lillard.
The Trail Blazers do not have lot of years left to put a championship-caliber team around their veteran superstar as Lillard approaches the fag-end of his prime years.
The Western Conference looks stacked entering the 2022-23 season. Defending champions Golden State Warriors are only expected to get better as their young stars gain more and more experience.
The Denver Nuggets will get back their star duo of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., while the Los Angeles Clippers are ready to welcome their All-Star duo of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard back into the fold.
Luka Doncic and his Dallas Mavericks will look to build on last season's heroics while the Pheonix Suns will look to rebuild their chemistry. The Suns won 64 regular-season games last year and were the number one overall seed heading into the playoffs last season.
Add to thi, a young Memphis Grizzlies, a fiesty New Orleans Pelicans and a motivated Los Angeles Lakers, there is a good chance that the Trail Blazers might struggle to make the playoffs.