Butler Basketball: Potential impact of Jordan Tucker’s impending decision

Butler basketball’s Jordan Tucker declared for the NBA Draft but has left open the possibility of returning. How could his final decision impact the Dawgs?

Butler basketball is fresh off one of its best regular-seasons in recent memory but is graduating several key pieces this offseason. This includes full-time starters Kamar Baldwin and Sean McDermott, but they are not the only potentially crucial losses. Sixth man Jordan Tucker announced his intention to enter the NBA Draft process after the conclusion of this past campaign but left open the possibility of coming back to Butler – that final decision is still pending.

Tucker took significant strides during his junior campaign, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, and finished with averages of 8.9 points (.357/.357/.791) and 3.8 rebounds per game. He came off the bench in 25 of his 30 appearances and was mainly used in catch-and-shoot situations. He also emerged as a solid defender on the wing after struggling as a sophomore.

From a playing style perspective, Tucker boasts plenty of confidence and range as a 3-point shooter, but is a poor finisher at the rim and can improve his ball-handling as well. While he has made continued improvements over his time with Butler, he still has plenty of room for development before being a strong candidate to play in the NBA. As a result, Tucker is not appearing in any mock drafts at the moment.

Returning to Butler could offer him the opportunity to be the “go-to player” at a high-major program capable of competing for an NCAA Tournament bid. Without Baldwin and McDermott as the team’s leading scorers, the Dawgs will be looking for a primary scoring option and Tucker could be given that level of freedom as a senior. If that turns out to be the case, running the show for Butler as a starter on the wing could be his best bet for building a stronger resume for the NBA.

Even though it might seem unlikely that he hears his name called at the NBA Draft this summer, though, there are plenty of potential options for Tucker. Finishing his career at Butler is certainly among those choices but heading to the G League could also be an attractive option (among others).

As Tucker’s final decision regarding his future looms, let’s take a dive into how each choice could affect Butler’s potential for the 2020-21 campaign.

If Tucker chooses to return for his senior year…

…then Butler will be returning five of its top seven players from a Top 25 team – that’s hard to ignore. Adding Tucker back to the puzzle would likely give Butler an all-upperclassmen starting lineup with a senior (Christian David once healthy) manning the sixth-man spot as well. With the top six of the rotation all either juniors or seniors and a talented five-man recruiting class coming in, the Dawgs could be a very intriguing team in 2020-21.

Furthermore, Tucker returning would help to solve a pair of potential problems with Butler’s roster as it would stand without him. For starters, he could instantly be plugged into the “go-to scorer” role. While he would not have the same offensive freedom as Kamar Baldwin had this past season, Tucker would likely be the one with the ball in his hands in late-shot-clock situations. His 3-point shooting would also be incredibly necessary for a team that lacks proven perimeter threats.

Tucker has grown tremendously over the past two years with the program and his senior year could be the opportunity he needs to show that he is capable of being a star at the collegiate level. If he returns and takes that leap into being an All-Big East player (by improving his ball-handling and finishing), then Butler will be in great shape to succeed. The Dawgs already have plenty of pieces that are used to being “stars in their roles” with Thompson, Golden, Nze, and David.

If Tucker chooses to forgo his final year…

…then Butler will have one scholarship remaining to fill for the 2020-21 campaign. The Dawgs have not been extremely active in the transfer portal as of late, but that could easily change if the staff gets the impression that Tucker is gone or he announces his final decision. Even though very few transfer targets can bring Tucker’s combination of size (6-foot-7) and shooting, there are definitely some players available that could make a difference at Butler.

Allen Betrand (Towson) is the most recent name that Butler has been linked to, but it is also worth mentioning that there could still be continued interest in Ishmael El-Amin (Ball State) as well. Both of these two are currently regarded as sit-out prospects, though, so neither would be able to play right away unless the one-time transfer waiver rule is passed in time for this coming season.

Butler would definitely still have a shot at competing for an at-large bid next season if Tucker forgoes his final season, but it would be a tough challenge. In that situation, the Dawgs would only feature one proven perimeter threat on the entire roster (Jair Bolden) and would be relying on a couple of freshmen to emerge as scorers right away.

Jordan Tucker’s impending decision might not be a national headliner, but it is a storyline that could greatly impact Butler’s potential for the 2020-21 season. Although many seem to believe that Tucker will not be returning to Indianapolis, he would have the opportunity to play big minutes as a featured piece of the offense. He could be a major difference-maker as a senior, but there is also the potential for him to immediately jumpstart his future career as well.