Their final roster may not be decided yet, but the Washington Wizards continue reshaping their personnel for the 2023-24 NBA season. With their final available two-way spot, the Wizards signed big man John Butler Jr, who spent last season with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Washington Wizards are signing center John Butler Jr. to a two-way NBA deal, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Butler spent part of last season in Portland and went to training camp with the Trail Blazers.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2023
Butler Jr. is the third two-way player on the Wizards roster, alongside Eugene Omoruyi and Jared Butler. These players bounce back and forth between the big club and the G-League affiliate while making half the annual salary of a minimum contract. Two-way players are available to play 50 games in a season.
After going undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft, Butler Jr. played 19 games last season with Portland, averaging 11.6 minutes per game. The 20-year-old prospect was touted as a high-upside, highly-skilled player coming out of his one year at Florida State. However, the concerns about his skinny, wiry frame raised questions about whether he was going pro too soon. Many draft analysts believe if he had stayed in college for longer, he would have been a first-round pick at some point.
Butler Jr. is still very stringy. He is listed at 190 lbs despite being a legit 7-footer. He arguably has the skinniest frame of anyone in the NBA.
However, his wingspan and length are extremely intriguing. As a combo big who can play both power forward and center, he is a prototypical modern player. He has the rare combination of rim protection and perimeter shooting as a big man. He averaged 1.2 blocks per game as a freshman while hitting 1.1 threes per game on 39% shooting from beyond the arc. A shot-blocker who can anchor the defense while spacing the floor on the other end is one of the most valuable player types in the league.
In order for Butler Jr. to fully reach his potential, he needs to bulk up, at least enough to be able to play the center. Fortunately for the Wizards, he is still 20 years old and has plenty of time to work on his body and game.
This is the type of high-upside prospect that the Washington Wizards need to go for during this rebuild. Any two-way player is a long-shot bet to turn into a rotation player, but Butler Jr. has the upside to get there, more than your average G-League player. Plus, it fits a positional need for Washington. If Butler Jr. can get stronger, he would be a welcome addition as a guaranteed contract for the Wizards.
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