Nasir Little may be the SF of the future

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What I like about Little was his ability to impact a game. A lot of the things he does don't show up in the box score.
One example is his defending a 3-point shooter very well, then running to get the rebound near the hoop.
 
Pinwheel1 said:
Good thing there is enough in #1.
He did show an early indication as a good 3 pt shooter. He will D up. Not great handles but can attack the basket. And what impressed me is that he showed the potential to hit the turnaround fade-away jumper with a defender all over him. His length and his vertical help with that.
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Little's height with length and athleticism help him cross the threshold of being a SF (6'4.5" no shoes, 6'6" with shoes) ... as he's not a SG. And not a PF And not a guy to hand the ball and say go get a bucket. With a shorter SG who isn't yet a decent defender ... that's where the pressure on getting bigger at SF comes in with a guy who does D up and is switchable and/or has a variety of skills and ways of helping the team.

The injuries for Little are an issue. Dinged up. They're less of a concern in trade -- which helps maintain value. The minor, flukey injuries do impede improvement where the answer for me about whether he'll become a 'quality' starter hasn't yet been answered by his play. So I do get the side that says he hasn't proven it as well as liking the good things he's shown side in a smaller sample size. For me, it's about improvement at the forward spot without trading Dame, Simons (which would probably have to wait anyway) and ... that's about it. IMHO, this offseason and the next are about building this roster with quality, starting forwards.
 
oldmangrouch said:
Pardon me if I get up on a soapbox here.

Player development isn't about "patience". It is about growth. It is about natural progress. As frustrated as I have been with Simons, who had no business entering the NBA when he did, I have to give him credit for his growth. He has learned how to harness his raw talent to be an effective player.

That scenario has nothing to do with a Nas or Zach Collins (or Oden). They could never be dependable NBA players because their bodies can't stand up to the wear-and-tear. A team serious about winning has to invest their resources elsewhere.
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He dropped 37 when given extensive action as a rookie. Most rookies never sniff such a thing. And if most rookies don't do that, what business do any of them have being in the draft? And at that point, what is the point of the draft if no one is worthy of being drafted? Get off the soapbox now.
 
oldmangrouch said:
Pardon me if I get up on a soapbox here.

Player development isn't about "patience". It is about growth. It is about natural progress. As frustrated as I have been with Simons, who had no business entering the NBA when he did, I have to give him credit for his growth. He has learned how to harness his raw talent to be an effective player.

That scenario has nothing to do with a Nas or Zach Collins (or Oden). They could never be dependable NBA players because their bodies can't stand up to the wear-and-tear. A team serious about winning has to invest their resources elsewhere.
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Sometimes it takes patience to allow the growth. Nas has it all, and is developing in the right way. He could turn out to be a special player. Potentially a Kawhi Leonard type player. Worth the wait and investment.
 
Stevenson said:
He's due for a major breakout season IMO.
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It’s nice to think so, but I won’t hold my breath. Portland has a history of drafting borderline players in hopes that they’ll turn into stars, but they almost never do. I don’t see Little being an exception.
 
Really like the kid but if it meant getting a better player I would trade him

What does little and #7 get you?

how about Little and Hart? Or some other combo little and Bledsoe’s contract?
 
I have to think Chauncey likes him which will help him stick around.
 
He has the skill, has has the physical attributes, he is so far lacking the biggest ability....availability. Every time he gets on a role and looks like.....a poor man's OG, he gets hurt or gets sick. If he could get a serious run and play 75+ games, I think he would blossom into something similar to what we are looking to trade for.

Big 'If'.
 
TBpup said:
He has the skill, has has the physical attributes, he is so far lacking the biggest ability....availability. Every time he gets on a role and looks like.....a poor man's OG, he gets hurt or gets sick. If he could get a serious run and play 75+ games, I think he would blossom into something similar to what we are looking to trade for.
Big 'If'.
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I don't think he has demonstrated much in the ways of skills yet. What he has shown is energy and athleticism. Most NBA players have athleticism and a lot of young players have energy. The really hard trick is adding skills to that mix....just ask TRob or Tyrus Thomas. And that trick is even harder if the player keeps missing stretches of games because of various reasons and poor durability. It's really difficult to develop skills when you're always trying to work your way back to game shape
 
AmirIcon said:
Nas is a big time talent. He's going to be a huge contributor should he stay healthy. Why I'm not tripping myself to trade 7.

Stick Sharpe or Daniels behind him and we're good.
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Let Sharpe, Daniels or Sochan (trade back) compete with Nas for the starting spot and we're good. All three of those guys look more comfortable putting the ball on the floor and passing than Nas; two of them might be able to rival his D, the other is on a whole different plane of existence on O.
 
blazerkor said:
Let Sharpe, Daniels or Sochan (trade back) compete with Nas for the starting spot and we're good. All three of those guys look more comfortable putting the ball on the floor and passing than Nas; two of them might be able to rival his D, the other is on a whole different plane of existence on O.
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I don’t think there’s any way Sharpe starts over Little at any point during next season. I can easily see Sochan being able to start if he proves he can guard on the perimeter well all game long and shoot a decent percentage on his catch and shoots.

I think I would bring in Daniels at the backup PG behind Dame if we draft him. If we signed Jalen Smith, a bench unit of Daniels/Ant/Hart/____/Smith should routinely outscore the opposing bench. Bring in a shooter, and the only unknown would be Daniels.
 
BankTeller said:
I don’t think there’s any way Sharpe starts over Little at any point during next season. I can easily see Sochan being able to start if he proves he can guard on the perimeter well all game long and shoot a decent percentage on his catch and shoots.

I think I would bring in Daniels at the backup PG behind Dame if we draft him. If we signed Jalen Smith, a bench unit of Daniels/Ant/Hart/____/Smith should routinely outscore the opposing bench. Bring in a shooter, and the only unknown would be Daniels.
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You think Sharpe will take longer to develop than I do and that's totally possible. I think Daniels will be able to play the role that was envisioned for Evan Turner and I think he'll be able to do it pretty quickly but I could be wrong about that. The one thing I would definitely disagree with is this notion that people say about a bench unit. Nobody platoons their team in the NBA. This isn't hockey, there aren't line changes (except in garbage time but that's not your 6th-10th guys) but basketball fans still talk about this mythical bench unit but that's not really about Nas.

I don't know for sure that any of the guys I mentioned would beat Nas out for a starting spot but I'm definitely not ruling that out and I'm hoping if we use that second pick that the person we pick will beat out Nas and that Nas will have gotten better than the last time we saw him.
 
blazerkor said:
You think Sharpe will take longer to develop than I do and that's totally possible. I think Daniels will be able to play the role that was envisioned for Evan Turner and I think he'll be able to do it pretty quickly but I could be wrong about that. The one thing I would definitely disagree with is this notion that people say about a bench unit. Nobody platoons their team in the NBA. This isn't hockey, there aren't line changes (except in garbage time but that's not your 6th-10th guys) but basketball fans still talk about this mythical bench unit but that's not really about Nas.
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I guess you’re right, in that there aren’t line changes. But I’m saying if for some reason Chauncey subbed out everyone but Simons, we’d be just fine.
 
I'm not Nas's biggest fan ever, but... I don't see how he'd bring much excitement on the trade market. Assuming no team would actively seek him out, the Blazers are much better off keeping him and letting him try to find his health and game. Worst-case scenario is a Collins-like "walk after his rookie deal" situation there, as opposed to a Jermaine O'Neal-like "explode into an all-NBA player elsewhere" situation that is the worst-case if he's traded away. And at least Jermaine got us Dale Davis, a veteran who played an important role on good (if ultimately flawed) teams, and I don't see Nas bringing anything like that back.
 
SF of the future -- as much as i like him I am just not sold on him -- I want to be wrong but I say trade him now
 
Fischer: https://bleacherreport.com/articles...on-paydays-for-poole-barrett-herro-and-others

Similar to Hunter in Atlanta, Portland has an intriguing extension case with Nassir Little, who took a significant leap in January before sustaining a season-ending shoulder labral tear that required surgery. Little posted 13.8 points on 40.3 percent shooting from three, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists over a dozen games in that first month of 2022.

Little would seem to be a strong candidate to join the Trail Blazers starting lineup on the wing, bridging Portland's Damian Lillard-Anfernee Simons backcourt and Jerami Grant-Jusuf Nurkic frontcourt. Would Little, then, be able to find an extension that pays a starter-level salary? He has already been spotted in the gym alongside Lillard during offseason workouts.

The UNC product has an obvious incentive to find a long-term agreement with his injury history. And Portland coming to terms with Little now might actually provide greater flexibility via the poison pill provision if the Blazers ultimately find themselves searching for further trade improvements around Lillard. All of these factors point towards an extension benefiting both sides.
 
Freshtown said:
I see everyone throwing him into trade packages for mid-tier vets.

And I get it. He’s had some injuries.

But he’s also:

  • Athletic
  • Decent defender
  • Decent shooter
  • Hustles like hell
  • Young and improving each year
It seems like the main reason people want to trade him is the injuries. But I think you have to consider the fact that his injuries, while plentiful, are not chronic in one area. This opens the possibility that what he has experienced to date is not being injury-prone, but simply bad luck.

I’m not saying he should be untouchable, or he should not be included if we have the opportunity to get a blue chip prospect or all star player. But we also shouldn’t throw him into any trade for Grant or players of that tier.

To me, there’s a 50-50 shot that he’ll end up either an impact small forward that has our starting SF slot locked down for the next 8–10 years, or an injury-prone bench player that provides good energy but can’t be counted on.

I think he’s shown enough to consider that the former might be what ends up happening.
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Needs to be more than a "decent" shooter and also more than a "decent" defender.
 
illmatic99 said:
I would be very happy if we can get Nas locked down for 12-15 mil. If he's healthy, he's gonna break out this year and everyone in the league will be after him if he hits RFA.

4 yrs, 50 or so would be amazing.
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Yeah. I kinda wish we had signed Zach Collins to a cheap deal as well when he was injured.
 
TBpup said:
He has the skill, has has the physical attributes, he is so far lacking the biggest ability....availability. Every time he gets on a role and looks like.....a poor man's OG, he gets hurt or gets sick. If he could get a serious run and play 75+ games, I think he would blossom into something similar to what we are looking to trade for.

Big 'If'.
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The last two years, OG played 91 of a possible 154 games.
The last two years, Nas played 90 of a possible 154 games.
 
Danny Marang’s brief remarks on Little were encouraging — big, ripped …
With 15 signed and the roster seemingly (near) complete for this season, there are so many interesting storylines for the Blazers:
A healthy Nassir Little prior to his 2nd contract
Dame is healthy for the first time in a while / new back court
Simons and how high he ascends in his 2nd contract
Nurkic has stability on his 3rd contract — health …
Shaedon Sharpe?
Grant fitting with Dame and the team?
GP2 in an increased role?
Hart getting to work as a playmaker in the 2nd unit? Does he stay for the long term?

All 8 players have pretty sizable questions surrounding them.
 
fortunately or unfortunately (depending on how you wanna look at it) I think Nas is our most valuable player outside of Nurk and Dame. He brings that extra element the others just dont- energy, athleticism, defense, rebounding, etc. I would defo extend him and just live with his injuries because when hes on the court hes an impact player.
 
Listened to a 76ers podcast last night that was all over Philly wanting to trade Thybulle and two other players plus a pick for Nas. We couldn't do it because we don't have the roster spots but they seemed to think Nas was Philly's missing piece. Thought it was interesting as it's the first outside Portland buzz I've heard about Nas.
 
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