3 young players Blazers should develop, 2 to give up on

Blazers young player to give up on: John Butler Jr.

Butler Jr., a 7-foot forward, had a limited impact in his appearances for the Blazers last year, averaging 2.4 points on 32.1 percent shooting in 19 games. His best performance came in April when he scored 12 points during a loss at San Antonio.

Butler’s offensive inconsistency is a significant concern. In college at Florida State, he shot 39.3 percent on threes but averaged 5.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. With Portland, his 3-point shooting dropped to 22.9 percent.

This lack of offensive reliability limits his effectiveness on the court and hampers the Blazers’ offensive flow.

Defensively, Butler’s height and length could be an asset, but his overall impact on that end remains to be seen. What Butler has in height he lacks in bulk. At 190 pounds, he lacks the overall size to be a force in the paint.

Butler and his two-way contract will likely find a place with the Rip City Remix team. Continuing to invest in his development beyond a G League player may not be the best use of the Blazers’ resources.