The Phoenix Suns entered the 2025 offseason in need of significant patchwork after parting ways with the likes of Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, and Tyus Jones. The front office has been active on that front, adding the likes of Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, and Mark Williams.
The quiet addition who could prove overwhelmingly significant, however, is Jared Butler—a diamond in the rough with untapped potential.
Butler, 25, has followed a long and winding path to his current opportunity with the Suns. Despite winning the 2021 Final Four Most Outstanding Player award and an NCAA Championship, he was a second-round draft pick and received limited playing time with the Utah Jazz.