Suns quietly found a diamond in the rough this offseason

The Phoenix Suns have made several offseason moves in 2025 after losing key players like Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, and Tyus Jones, including the acquisition of Jared Butler, who may prove to be a significant addition despite his understated profile.

Butler, a 25-year-old guard, has had a challenging journey to the Suns, his fifth team in five years. Despite winning the NCAA Championship and Final Four Most Outstanding Player award in 2021, he was a second-round draft pick and saw limited playing time with the Utah Jazz initially.

However, the 2024–25 season marked a career breakthrough for Butler, as he excelled with both the Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards. He improved his jump shot, emerged as a skilled facilitator, and demonstrated two-way abilities reminiscent of his college success.

Statistically, Butler averaged 9.0 points, 3.7 assists, 1.8 rebounds, 0.7 steals, and 1.0 three-pointer per game in 60 appearances, with per-36-minute numbers aligning closely with his career norms, indicating his improvement is sustainable with increased opportunity.

Butler's versatile offensive skills—including floor spacing, playmaking, and scoring—make him a valuable potential fit for the Suns, who need to reduce the playmaking burden on Devin Booker and Jalen Green.

Although Butler signed a non-guaranteed deal, lacking stability, the Suns have strong incentive to evaluate his potential as they seek reliability at point guard, and he could emerge as a key contributor for the team in the 2025–26 season.