The Phoenix Suns may have started the regular season 1-2, but that doesn’t mean head coach Jordan Ott is anywhere close to figuring out his rotations in The Valley. Mark Williams’ inability to play back-to-backs certainly doesn’t help, while Jalen Green hasn’t played at all this season. If he comes back, the coaching staff will have to immediately solve a Grayson Allen problem.
With three rookies and a pair of returning sophomores fitting into the puzzle, it’s no wonder the franchise is cutting a number of players from their final roster ahead of the regular season. The latter was let go with point guard Jared Butler despite making 35 appearances against the Los Angeles Lakers in a preseason game that was his final appearance as a Sun.
Butler heads to Serbia to continue his professional career.
The 25-year-old was one of the bright spots in preseason, but ultimately lost out to Jordan Goodwin in a spot in Phoenix. With his fellow point guard barely playing for the Suns so far this season, we thought it was harsh but ultimately logical that Butler was let go. It was unlikely he would get a real chance to make an impact. Butler himself contacted us and he disagreed.
Badly taken
— Jared Butler (@J_Hooper11) October 26, 2025
However, it didn’t take long for the former Baylor standout to find a new home, and he is on his way to the European superpower KK Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) from Serbia. A team that already has household names among NBA fans, including Isaiah Canaan and Jordan Nwora. Butler will also be able to consider Devonte’ Graham as a teammate once he is cleared to play as well.
This is a smart move by Butler, who certainly could have found himself on a number of G League rosters later in the season, and most likely an NBA team later in the season after the inevitable injuries hit. Instead, he has signed a two-year contract that will certainly include a release clause if the right opportunity arises in the United States, although the player himself said he wants to stay there “for a long time.”
Butler only needs to look at current Sun Nigel Hayes-Davis to see that what he is doing now is a viable route back to the league. Hayes-Davis was a EuroBasket Final Four MVP and became a legend with Turkish club Fenerbahçe. He also didn’t get many opportunities in the NBA before heading to Europe, and it took him more than five years to find himself.
But the smart money is on Butler doing the same, if he isn’t called upon before then. He is simply too fast and offensively gifted, and will tear it up in Europe. Suns fans were split on whether or not to keep him around, and it’s true that he’s an easy target defensively. Butler is clearly backing himself, and after what he showed us for a brief moment, it’s not hard to see why.
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