3. Jared Butler
Reason for potentially falling: Potentially lower ceiling and size
Jared Butler is not considered to be a lottery prospect on every board and for that reason he is the most likely on this list to fall to the Los Angeles Lakers. ESPN ranks him 23rd while Tankathon ranks him 16th. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer ranks him 23rd as well.
He is definitely a fringe lottery pick but it would not be all that surprising if he was picked in the lottery, which grants him inclusion on this list. Quite frankly, while the other players are ranked higher on most boards, Butler might be the best pick for the Lakers.
The point guard position is very much up in the air and the team might not even need a point guard depending on who leaves; although there is nothing wrong with backcourt depth. What makes Butler appealing is the fact that he is a talented senior, meaning that he will come out of college closer to his ceiling and can contribute more right away.
He is also exactly what the Lakers need. He is a good ball-handler who can help create with LeBron James even if he is not the most innovative creator. More importantly, Butler is a great perimeter defender despite his size and shot the three at a 41.6% clip last season.
The upside is not as high as lottery picks which keeps the bad teams from taking him and he is a bit undersized at six-three. While he is probably not going to be a future all-star, Jared Butler has rotation player written all over him and is coming from a winning program in Butler. He knows what it takes to win and will contribute instantly on both ends.
While different players, Butler reminds me of Dante DiVincenzo, who has become an important part of the Milwaukee Bucks’ rotation.
The hope would just be that he can contribute more on day one than DiVincenzo did.