Blazers Transfer John Butler Jr. to Stockton Kings of NBA G League

The Portland Trail Blazers have transferred center John Butler Jr. to the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League, Trail Blazers PR announced on Saturday.

OFFICIAL: The @trailblazers have transferred John Butler Jr. to the @StocktonKings - the NBA G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings.

The athletic 20-year-old has played in just nine games for the Trail Blazers this season, including Thursday night’s blowout loss to the Sacramento Kings, in which he played about five minutes.

According to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report, Butler had not been transferred earlier because it was felt that he’d benefit from being around the team.

What I’ve been told is the reason Butler and Ibou Badji haven’t been sent to the G League all season is because they’re far enough away from contributing that the organization feels it’s more important for them to be around the team/acclimated to the culture than anything else.

This likely has not changed, although it will be good for Butler to get some reps in the G League.

The Trail Blazers signed Butler to a two-way contract on October 17, after he went undrafted in 2022 and put in an impressive Summer League with the New Orleans Pelicans. Prior to that, in his single season at Florida State, Butler averaged 5.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.