The Boston Celtics are keeping their options open with who they may add to the roster. Among the players still available in free agency is wing Nassir Little, and the Celtics took a look at him.
Spotrac’s Keith Smith reported that the Celtics were among the teams who held a workout for him.
“Free agent wing Nassir Little has/had workouts with the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Sacramento Kings,” Smith posted on his X account.
Little is coming off a season in which he averaged 3.4 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 45 games with the Phoenix Suns. He also shot 46% from the field and 30% from three. Evidently, his production was not enough, as the Suns waived his contract during the 2024 NBA Offseason.
Little is 24 years old, so he’s young enough that his potential is intriguing. The Celtics have taken these flyers on similar players like Dalano Banton and Lamar Stevens. They didn’t work out, but it didn’t hurt them.
Nassir Little’s Contract Was Stretched
Little was about to enter the second year of a four-year, $28 million contract. However, the Suns waived and stretched his contract to make room on the roster. Little will be paid over $3 million from 2024 to 2030.
The Portland Trail Blazers gave Little that contract before trading him to the Suns in 2023. During the 2021-22 season, Little averaged 9.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. He also shot 46% from the field and 33.1% from three. The Trail Blazers gave him that contract banking on his potential in 2022, but that was before they decided to take the franchise in a different direction.
That is likely the reason why teams are interested in working him out. Even if he’s not the most efficient player on the field, he could provide wing depth. A common ingredient for title teams is having at least one player who outplayed his cheap contract.
In the Celtics’ case, Sam Hauser fit that profile. He went from an undrafted free agent to a rotation player in two seasons. The Celtics then rewarded him with a four-year extension for his efforts. Little is not the same player Hauser is, but teams could see him as a diamond in the rough.
Celtics Don’t Have Room for Nassir Little
The Celtics have a full training camp roster of 21 players in 2024. Because of that, they can’t add Little straight up, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make room for him. They would have to waive at least one of those players to add him.
However, even if it came to that, the Celtics are trying to maintain roster flexibility. They also have much to pay in luxury taxes, so leaving their 14th roster spot open is cheaper. Little could very well get a shot for them in training camp and preseason, but he would have a mountain to climb.
It’s why Little could very well get a spot on an NBA roster, but said roster being the Celtics doesn’t appear likely. Boston doesn’t need much help since they won an NBA title and brought most of its roster back.
