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Nassir Little is entering his third NBA season with just enough hype to boost his confidence, but not so much that he’s crippled by the pressure.
After putting a list of injuries and ailments behind him, the young Portland Trail Blazers wing appears to be in the best shape of his young career with many pundits anticipating 2021-22 as his year to shine.
On paper, Little has the physical gifts to not only remain a rotating player, but also thrive as an above-average starter.
I’m not the first, nor the last, to compare it to the old Gerald Wallace Blazer. Athletically, Little has the ability to reach the edge, finish, and resonate that finish with opponents looking silly below him.
Defensively, his physical characteristics take center stage, measuring 6’6 with a 7’1 wingspan and enough muscle to knock down 10 Titans in a standoff.
Big jumps, decent sideways moves, and natural defensive instincts allow him to not only keep small forwards but also shoot powerful guards and forwards.
Last but not least, his three-point shot seems improved, well, as improved as it can get when not guarded by absolutely no one.
Drafted 25th in 2019, Little was initially billed as a lottery pick but struggled to be consistent on the bench during his only year in North Carolina.
Once with the Blazers, Little was faced with a list of injuries, including a concussion suffered while training in the Orlando bubble. The concussion preceded problems with dehydration before he contracted a nasty case of COVID late last year, which caused him to lose 20 pounds in a month.
He finally returned to the field in the New Year, increasing his attendance and audience time, which culminated in a stunning performance against the Milwaukee Bucks on February 2. Little recorded 30 points on five of seven of three, as well as six rebounds and two blocks in a resounding loss for the Blazers.
Sadly, that same afternoon he fell into an incident with Thanasis Antetokounmpo, which prompted him to miss five more games. He came back and offered honest contributions for the remainder of the regular season, but saw just nine minutes in the Blazers’ first-round loss to the Denver Nuggets.
The offseason had arrived and it was time for a fit kid to get to work. However, Blazers fans were initially deprived of seeing the fruits of his labor when the 21-year-old was taken out of the Summer League, possibly suggesting he had done enough to impress new coach Chauncey. Billups.
As we approach the 2021-22 season, Little’s position in the rotation is still up for grabs with Larry Nance Jr., Anfernee Simons and Cody Zeller guaranteed minutes off the bench. As a result, it looks like he’ll have to compete with Tony Snell for that ninth place first.
Yesterday, Jason Quick of The Athletic wrote that the Blazers had chosen Little’s $ 4.17 million fourth-year option for the 2022-23 season while suggesting that Little could have the lead over Snell, who is struggling with a minor foot problem.
Billups praised the young winger, calling him “the best athlete we have” and comparing him to Los Angeles Clippers winger Terence Mann who enjoyed his breakout performance under Portland rookie head coach. last season.
Let’s look ahead.
What if Little turns out to be uninspiring this season?
Not much: he returns to the Blazers’ Third String Brigade, made up of Ben McLemore, Greg Brown III, CJ Elleby, and that of Marquese Chriss, Patrick Paterson, Dennis Smith Jr. and Quinn Cook.
Disclaimer
Breakout season means different things to different people, there are breakouts and then there are breakouts.
What if Little continues to improve as expected?
If Little shows the same improvement Simons showed in Year 3, he’ll comfortably take on the role of second or third player off the bench. He’ll play just under 20 minutes per night, averaging around 10 points per game, continuing to fight Snell for a few minutes.
There is little that can also serve as a starter when Powell is injured or unavailable, leading to similar expectations for improvement next summer, but this time working towards restricted free agency.
What if Little seriously breaks out?
This second storyline sees Little not only making the spin, but ultimately deserving beginner level minutes. He becomes a threat on both sides of the ball, regularly reaching that 30-point performance. Simply, he becomes first – or close to first – Wallace.
Sorry – Gerald Wallace with a shot. Recall that Wallace was a great player but shot just over 31% out of three. Last season Little improved to 35% and if we are to believe reports of a productive offseason, that number could skyrocket.
This team hasn’t had anyone with Little’s physical attributes in the wing position since Wallace; Nicolas Batum was athletic but did not have the same level of strength.
If that happens, the Blazers have options in the summer of 2022. The team currently have a shooting guard from Norman Powell’s small forward position, and starting a shooting guard they have a shooting guard. combo that is not big enough to play both and only almost a point guard from CJ McCollum.
The roars of the “McCollum trade” have been the loudest this offseason, but they clearly haven’t reached the president of basketball operations, Neil Olshey, who refuses to deal with the Lehigh star.
I suggest that a real Little Season escape backs Olshey into a corner. Olshey rarely trades his guys, and while I know Gary Trent Jr. was dispatched on the deadline, there was an obvious blockage at his post.
Conversely, Little is a rarity for the Blazers and if he makes that jump he becomes the team’s most impactful starting little forward since Batum was dispatched to the Charlotte Hornets.
Is that enough to get Olshey to pull the trigger on a deal with McCollum? I cross all my fingers and toes.
Playing Powell on two and Little on three allows Portland to play bigger at wing positions while adding one or more decent players in exchange for McCollum. It comes close to what the Blazers should be working towards: balance.
Conclusion
Just to be clear, Little isn’t the next Kawhi Leonard. He does, however, have the physical tools to be a good beginner level player in this league.
I loved Gerald Wallace as a player, but he was almost strictly a slasher and high energy player. Little has that same ability plus an achievable three-point shot, opening up all kinds of possibilities in today’s NBA.
At 21, it may be too early for him to put it in place, but if he does, this team is addressing needs that have not been met since LaMarcus Aldridge left in 2015.
The Blazers have the longest playoff streak in the league, but that doesn’t mean anything when you become first-round fodder for the other seven Western Conference teams battling for a title. A level close to the All-Star Little is not as crazy as one might have thought and opens up opportunities to help correct the imperfections of this team.
Few things could be the ticket to balance if Olshey is ready to part ways with his golden child CJ McCollum.
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