Former Blazers First-Round Pick Working Out With Major Contenders

Matt Levine

In this story:

Former Portland Trail Blazers first round pick Nassir Little could soon find himself a new home in the NBA.

According to insider Keith Smith, Little has had or will have some workouts with multiple contenders before the start of the new season. This includes the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Sacramento Kings.

Little was waived by the Phoenix Suns earlier in the offseason so Phoenix could open a roster spot and create some flexibility for signings and trades during the year. The Suns liked him but he was a needed loss for a team with title aspirations.

The former first-round pick of Portland clearly has value around the league and should land with a team that has a chance to win. He was taken by the Trail Blazers with the No. 25 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of the University of North Carolina.

Little spent the first few seasons of his career as a member of the Trail Blazers and was a decent piece to their rotation. His best season came in 2020-21 when he averaged 9.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.

The biggest knock on Little throughout his career has been his inconsistency from beyond the 3-point line. He is a career 33 percent shooter from deep, a number that is lower than most NBA teams are looking for in the modern NBA era.

Last season with the Suns, Little averaged 3.4 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game. He shot 30.0 from the 3-point line, seeing only 10.2 minutes per game for Phoenix last season.

Another issue that has plagued Little has been his injury history. He has yet to play more than 54 games in a season, which happened in his final year with Portland.

Despite this, Portland gave him a four-year, $28 million contract extension before the start of the 2022 season. He was then shipped out from the Trail Blazers to Phoenix in the three-team trade that sent star guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks.

While Little hasn't achieved All-Star status in the league, he is a serviceable role player and a contending team could use him for depth. He will likely sign on with someone and the hope is that he can continue to improve his game, especially only 24 years old.

More Trail Blazers: Former Blazers First-Round Pick Involved in Blockbuster Trade Waived By West Rival

Published
Matt Levine

MATT LEVINE

Matt earned a Master of Science degree in Sport Management from Louisiana State University in 2021. He was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, covering all Southern California sports in his career.

Home/News