Ahead of Friday night's clash with the Portland Trail Blazers, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Washington Wizards had agreed to a three-year contract with former national champion Jared Butler. The 23-year-old guard had previously been playing on a two-way contract for the Wizards, averaging 5.6 points and 2.9 assists in 13 minutes per game this season.
Wizards guard Jared Butler has agreed on a new three-year deal, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. Butler has been on a two-way contract.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 5, 2024
The Wizards have begun giving Butler a larger workload lately, logging 20 minutes of action in nine of the team's last 11 games. The 6'3" guard has proven himself to be a legitimate scorer and playmaker off the bench for the Wizards, highlighted by his 17-point performance in the Wizards' 117-113 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.
During Washington's single-game road trip to Chicago at the end of March, Butler played a big part in the Wizards' winning effort, recording a pair of blocks, a pair of steals, and dishing out a career-high 13 assists against the Bulls defense.
Fans back Jared Butler after news of three-year contract
After news broke of the Wizards' latest signing, fans took to social media to congratulate Butler on his new opportunity. Fans who have followed Butler since his days at Baylor found the coinciding dates of his three-year deal and his national championship victory to be fascinating.
Jared Butler getting a 3-year deal 3 years to the day after he won the national championship and Final Four MOP is pure art. https://t.co/E3qXlfGh8X pic.twitter.com/MQU34zKhjj
— Locked On Baylor Bears (@lockedonbaylor) April 5, 2024
As for Wizards fans, the reaction is the same. Fans of the team have taken notice of Butler's recent play and are happy to see him stick around the District for the next several seasons. Over his last 10 games, Butler is averaging 9.2 points and 5.2 assists per game coming off the bench for Washington.
AHHHH SIC EM JARED BUTLER. going to the game tonight and i really hope he plays https://t.co/zMtkin1Cy3
— chams (@chaminim) April 5, 2024
Going forward, the team will likely continue to bring Butler off the bench. At 6'3", he possesses many of the qualities of a strong traditional point guard. His winning history is a welcome addition to the Wizards locker room as they continue to navigate their rebuilding process.
The Wizards will face the Trail Blazers on Friday night with tip-off scheduled for 7:00 PM ET.