Portland Trail Blazers need a Little more Nassir
Let the comparisons begin
When Nassir Little was drafted, my first impression was that he reminded me of ex-Portland Trail Blazers forward Gerald Wallace. It was the athleticism, the effort, the poor perimeter shooting. But, aside from the shooting issues, I was excited about Little’s potential down the road. It’s no secret that the Blazers struggled to find a solid small forward since the departure of Nicolas Batum.
When Little’s minutes increased in December, he started showing Rip City what he could do. I threw out a Jerome Kersey comparison in a previous article. Not comparing them on talent, but comparing them on their heart. That’s an obvious complement to Little. He’s a player I think Jerome would have appreciated.
Another player who compares to Little is Andre Iguodala. A 6’6″ small forward with a 6’11” wingspan, weighing in at roughly 215-pounds, Iguodala is another high-energy, lockdown defender type. There are some early differences. Andre or “Iggy” played two years in college compared to Little only playing one NCAA season. Iggy also got 30+ minutes a game as a rookie when Nas averaged about 11.
Both players put up similar per 36-minute numbers in their first few seasons despite the differences. Iguodala made a significant jump from his second to third seasons. Little can make a similar jump from his third to fourth seasons, or both players age 23 years. I might be getting ahead of myself, but I think the potential is there.
Imagine the possibilities
If Nassir can realize his potential, it would immediately solve one of the two voids in the starting lineup. It might be a best-case scenario; if Nassir comes back improved this fall, he could make the other Portland Trail Blazers’ offseason goal easier.
With small forward handled, the Blazers can focus on finding their long-term answer at power forward. Assets could then be leveraged toward finding the four they so desperately need. Whether it’s combining picks to move up in the draft or packaging them together for trade.
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Portland Trail Blazers fans, what do you think about Nassir Little’s potential? Let us know in the comments section below.