NBA Draft 2021: Mock Draft 1.0
27. . PG. New York Knicks. Jared Butler. 21. player
2021 NBA Draft — 21. Jared Butler, New York Knicks
Serious health concerns loom large for Jared Butler, but if he’s cleared to play, he is well within range of the first round. New York has been looking for a point guard since time began, and while some will point to Immanuel Quickley as the long-awaited solution, it can never hurt to have multiple ball-handlers on the perimeter.
Butler played a big role in Baylor’s NCAA title run, and has the makings of a plug-and-play guard for a team trying to win games. Butler competes hard on defense despite his small stature, and is a smart facilitator with the chops to run a professional offense.
The Knicks need guards and shooters, two areas in which Butler can help. He’s a nice bridge from the Derrick Rose era to the future if the former MVP sticks around, and if not, you can expect minutes right away for the 20-year-old — he’s certainly preferable to Frank Ntilikina or Elfrid Payton.