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Nassir Little Rumors
Donatas Urbonas: Nassir Little — the No. 25 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft — has signed with the Chiba Jets of Japan’s B.League for the 2025-26 season, per sources. Little played five NBA seasons with the Trail Blazers and Suns. More 👇 basketnews.com/news-227943-na…
Keith Smith: Why the Bucks are able to waive-and-stretch Damian Lillard without a buyout, but the Suns can't with Bradley Beal: Teams can have no more than 15% of the cap in stretched salary per season. Bucks have no stretched salary on their books before Lillard. They clear the 15% marker by about $600K. The Suns are carrying $3.8M in stretch salary already (for EJ Liddell and Nassir Little). Adding Beal's full amount would take Phoenix over the 15% allowable amount.
Nassir Little drawing NBA attention in G League?
On the other side of that matchup, meanwhile, league sources say Sioux Falls forward Nassir Little has drawn significant attention from NBA teams after his strong performances both in Orlando and throughout this early season.
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“With Miami, I just feel like they valued the type of player that I am the most,” Little said when asked why he chose to sign a non-guaranteed deal with the Heat. “Yeah, there were other opportunities. But I just felt like the reputation that Miami has with players like myself and just the conversations that I had with the staff around here, it wasn’t to that extent with any of the other organizations."
“I respect that he’s willing to do it — to bet on himself, to bet on development at this point,” Spoelstra said of Little, with the Heat in the Bahamas through Saturday for training camp at Baha Mar. “Because when you’re a former first-round pick, you probably do have some opportunities if you’re patient to explore. He wanted to invest in development that will be longer lasting. And there are no guarantees. That’s just where we are with our roster right now, but we are in full open arms to give him everything we have to develop him and help him reach another level. So it’s exciting for both parties.”
When Nassir Little was waived by the Phoenix Suns in late August, he didn’t have much time to find a new NBA home before training camps opened around the league. But that didn’t deter the 2019 first-round pick. “I was confident that something would show up,” Little, 24, said. “Whether it was guaranteed or not, I just felt like I needed an opportunity. I believe in myself enough to make the most of it.”
So Little immediately went searching for that opportunity, working out for four teams — the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings. At the end of the month-long process, Little bet on himself and signed a one-year fully non-guaranteed deal to join the Heat with the intention of earning a roster spot by impressing during training camp and the preseason. The Heat has until Oct. 19 at 5 p.m. to decide whether to cut Little without him ever counting against the salary cap, luxury tax and aprons or incur his daily cap hit by keeping him on its roster for the start of the regular season. “
“With Miami, I just feel like they valued the type of player that I am the most,” Little said when asked why he chose to sign a non-guaranteed deal with the Heat. “Yeah, there were other opportunities. But I just felt like the reputation that Miami has with players like myself and just the conversations that I had with the staff around here, it wasn’t to that extent with any of the other organizations. “I just felt like they wanted me and I think that’s kind of what matters. When it comes to making decisions like that, you want the team that you’re considering to want you as much as you want to go there. I definitely feel like they wanted me the most.”
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Nassir Little signs with Miami
Chris Haynes: Free agent wing Nassir Little has reached an agreement on a one-year deal with the Miami Heat, league source tells me.
Anthony Chiang: This contract -- however the guarantees are structured -- won't take the Heat above the second apron when it's signed, according to a source. Obviously, if Little is kept on the roster the entire season and no other salary is shed, that changes.
Justin Holiday, Nassir Little have worked out for Warriors in recent weeks
As has become September tradition, the Golden State Warriors’ practice facility is currently filled with high-energy scrimmages on a regular basis, mixing roster guys with younger players and veteran free agents still in search of a camp invite. Justin Holiday and Nassir Little, league sources told The Athletic, are among the several experienced wings who have shuffled through San Francisco in recent weeks.
Nassir Little has worked out with Celtics, Warriors, others
Keith Smith: Free agent wing Nassir Little has/had workouts with the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and Sacramento Kings, a league source told @spotrac .
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