Nasir Little may be the SF of the future

[Freshtown]

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.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Love him, but he can’t stay healthy

 

[Haakzilla]

...this will certainly be his year to prove he can be a reliable rotation player and even a starter. He needs to play, what, at least 90-95% of the season to be a success?

 

[speeds]

Warriors and Celtics are good examples of the importance of drafting and developing your own players. Very hard to build a team from trades and free agency.

 

[Blazinaway]

Love him, but he can’t stay healthy

same here, would love for him to prove his health with a full season next year, I have no doubt he would continue to break out as he was starting to do before his injury this past season, hope he gets the chance to and succeeds!

 

[Cugel]

I am a big Nas fan. But the man has to stay healthy. So disappointing to see him on the bench in street clothes.

 

[illmatic99]

the glass half full in projecting nas as the SFotF can point to guys like Steph and Gerald Wallace who largely overcame injuries early on in their careers to develop into big time players.

Another potential positive here is our ability to sign him for cheap now. Recall, Steph's rookie extension was only 4 yrs/ 44 mil directly as a result of his inability to stay healthy.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

I think of Nas as an even better prospect than Simons.

People throwing him into trades for role players are insane.

He's had injuries but no chronic areas. He's a keeper.

 

[riverman]

Highlight reel dunkers are always injury prone...Lamarcus said Elliot Williams was the most athletic guy he'd played with.....coming down hard from dunking above the rim takes it's toll on big guys. To me Nas is a risk to rely on at this point....so was Larry Nance.....not sure I'd bet the bank on him but we'll see come tipoff what sort of shape he's in....I want him to dunk less and shoot better. No doubt he's young and talented....he's had snowballing issues since he's been a Blazer

 

[Stevenson]

He's built like the perfect NBA player - athletic, strong, long. Has heart. Skills. Desire. Is coachable. He's due for a major breakout season IMO.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Love the guy when he is playing.
Get and stay healthy Nassir Little!

 

[Pinwheel1]

Highlight reel dunkers are always injury prone...Lamarcus said Elliot Williams was the most athletic guy he'd played with.....coming down hard from dunking above the rim takes it's toll on big guys. To me Nas is a risk to rely on at this point....so was Larry Nance.....not sure I'd bet the bank on him but we'll see come tipoff what sort of shape he's in....I want him to dunk less and shoot better. No doubt he's young and talented....he's had snowballing issues since he's been a Blazer

I am guessing it is his hustle that is more of an issue than his dunks. (Based on his injuries) Guys who dive for the ball get hurt.
The problem is we all want that type of player. I am hopeful for Nas as well. You got to love his 7'2" wing span to go along with his hustle and strength. He is what we need at the wing.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Another Zach Collins. Time to cut bait and accept the fact that he will have the occasional good game wherever he ends up, but will never have an impact on team success. He will never be a reliable contributor.

 

[TBpup]

If they would stop playing him out of position, I don't think he would get hurt so much. If he is having to wrestle KAT for a rebound because we went 'small', he is more likely to get hurt.

 

[wizenheimer]

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

except for the shooting you just described TRob

and when it comes to the shooting, specifically 3ptFG%, career marks:

Kent Bazemore .356
Jeremi Grant .349
Mario Hezonja .319
Nassir Little .317
Evan Turner .294

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.

seems to be the case that a substantial subset of fans will go all-in on one young guy or the other. Every once in a while they are right about upside. But more often the upside is a lot more mirage than reality

I'm not sure what will be the case with Little, but for a fact, his injury history drops his value as a prospect. Meaning the chances he can fulfill the potential some of you see is less than it would be if he was durable

having watched the NBA for years, I'm not very impressed with major athleticism unless it's augmented by some noticeable and consistent skills. Way too often highly athletic players never get the skills to match. At this point, Little's athletic abilities far exceed his skills. So there is an equation of waiting for upside vs opportunity cost. I don't think he has any substantial trade value. Not a lot more that Keon Johnson. So yeah, if he's not critical to completing a bigger trade, I'm fine with giving him another season to stay healthy and improve

 

[julius]

Let him be healthy for a year before he's anointed anything.

 

[Freshtown]

Let him be healthy for a year before he's anointed anything.

agree, but my point is we have to keep him and not give him away for nothing in order for him to earn the right to be anointed. Right now too many here don’t even want to give him that opportunity.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Let him be healthy for a year before he's anointed anything.

Minus the Trader Bob’s jail Blazers era. Perhaps we’re to conservative, not aggressive enough and that’s why we only have 1 championship?

 

[Chris Craig]

I like Nas. He always makes the team better when he is on the floor. He always brings energy. When they talk about defense creating offense, Nas is the archetype for that, he exudes that.

Yes, we need him to stay healthy. Part of that is the Blazers need to play him in position and the other is the training staff go the extra mile with him to help keep him healthy.

 

[blazerfan11]

Minus the Trader Bob’s jail Blazers era. Perhaps we’re to conservative, not aggressive enough and that’s why we only have 1 championship?

And what about the team with Drexler that actually made it to the finals twice? Obviously that team was much more successful than Trader Bob's teams. Let's forget about Trader Bob as the best way to do it.
Clyde Drexler - drafted by the Trail Blazers
Terry Porter - drafted by the Trail Blazers
Cliff Robinson - drafted by the Trail Blazers
Kevin Duckworth - traded to the Trail Blazers as a rookie
Jerome Kersey - drafted by the Trail Blazers
Buck Williams - traded to Trail Blazers for Sam Bowie and a draft pick

 

[blazerfan11]

Portland's 1977 Championship team:
Bill Walton - drafted by the Trail Blazers
Maurice Lucas - drafted in ABA dispersion draft, after Lucas's 2nd season in the ABA.
Lionel Hollins - drafted by the Trail Blazers
Bob Gross - drafted by the Trail Blazers
Dave Twardzik - drafted by the Trail Blazers
Larry Steele - drafted by the Trail Blazers
Herm Gilliam - traded to Trail Blazers
Johnny Davis - drafted by Trail Blazers

 

[riverman]

And what about the team with Drexler that actually made it to the finals twice? Obviously that team was much more successful than Trader Bob's teams. Let's forget about Trader Bob as the best way to do it.
Clyde Drexler - drafted by the Trail Blazers
Terry Porter - drafted by the Trail Blazers
Cliff Robinson - drafted by the Trail Blazers
Kevin Duckworth - traded to the Trail Blazers as a rookie
Jerome Kersey - drafted by the Trail Blazers
Buck Williams - traded to Trail Blazers for Sam Bowie and a draft pick

At least 3 of those guys were taken in the second round....Cliff, Kersey and Duckworth

 

[Strenuus]

People are so impatient.

 

[riverman]

People are so impatient.

Greg Oden and Meyers Leonard say hi!

 

[Strenuus]

Greg Oden and Meyers Leonard say hi!

That was my way of saying keep nas. I'm pro-nas.

 

[oldmangrouch]

People are so impatient.

Phooey.

Time and roster spots are a resource. They should not be wasted on wishful thinking. An unreliable player is unreliable - the reasons they aren't reaching their perceived potential is irrelevant and patience has nothing to do with it.

 

[HoopsFanAZ]

Questions:
1. What kind of SF is Nas? Athletic, early indications of a 3 point shooter, will D up. Distributor, initiator? No. Advanced handles to get his own shot? No. Shooter at 3 levels? Floaters? Step backs? Back to the basket, post up?
2. If there’s not much in #1, then how good is his 3&D going to become?
3. Will he be a starter AND who is better than half of the other starting SFs in the NBA?

Nas doesn’t have to be THE answer at SF. But he has to be part of it at a reasonable contract, and his rookie extension is soon. If a trade includes Nas to get THE answer (or a heckuva improvement at either forward spot) then that’s the cost.

 

[oldmangrouch]

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.

 

[julius]

Minus the Trader Bob’s jail Blazers era. Perhaps we’re to conservative, not aggressive enough and that’s why we only have 1 championship?

Wtf does that have to do with what I said?

 

[Pinwheel1]

Questions:
1. What kind of SF is Nas. Athletic, early indications of a 3 point shooter, will D up. Distributor, initiator? No. Advanced handles to get his own shot? No. Shooter at 3 levels? Floaters? Step backs? Back to the basket, post up?
2. If there’s not much in #1, then how good is his 3&D going to become?
3. Will he be a starter AND who is better than half of the other starting SFs in the NBA?

Nas doesn’t have to be THE answer at SF. But he has to be part of it at a reasonable contract, and his rookie extension is soon. If a trade includes Nas to get THE answer (or a heckuva improvement at either forward spot) then that’s the cost.

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.