The Pistons struggled with threes and wing defense for much of last season. UNC’s Nassir Little could bring both to the table.
The Detroit Pistons hold the 15th overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft and are likely to look for help on the wings. Nassir Little fits their needs on paper perfectly.
Getting to Know Nassir Little
Nassir Little is a 6’6, 224-pound forward out of the University of North Carolina.
Little — an Orlando-area native — played at Orlando Christian Prep before making his way to UNC.
Little was the third overall prospect in his class — behind R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish. Zion Williamson was ranked fourth overall. I think we can all safely laugh about that now.
However, great potential mixed with a decent high school mixtape would get any recruiter excited
UNC made another long run in the NCAA Tournament in 2019, but their highly touted freshman underwhelmed in the season overall.
Little came off the Tar Heel bench all season, averaging about 18 minutes per game.
He averaged 9.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 36 games including the postseason.
However, despite the lack of glamorous counting numbers, Little could develop to be the exact type of player the Pistons are looking for in this draft.
The Team Needs
The Pistons struggled mightily all season with consistent shooting and perimeter defense.
Trades at the deadline sent away Reggie Bullock and Stanley Johnson — helping avoid further cap stress but leaving a gaping hole in the team’s wing depth.
Andre Drummond played the part of punching bag as Pistons guards allowed blow-by after blow-by from penetrating guards and wings.
The emergence of Bruce Brown and the addition of Wayne Ellington were enough to sneak the Pistons into the playoffs — only to be outmatched and out-manned by the Milwaukee Bucks.
There is hope Brown can develop some kind of offense, but the team would still lack a bigger body on the wings that can both keep up and stand his ground.
More Than A Little Potential
Nassir Little’ potential brings a lot to the table for teams needing the versatility the modern NBA requires.
Defense
Little can serve in a variety of lineups that rely on switching. “Positionless basketball” is an idea that he has the potential to flourish in defensively.
In limited work, Little sported a 96.8 defensive rating per 100 possessions. He averaged just 0.5 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. With a starting role — or at least more playing time — those numbers could look much different looking back on his freshman year.
Little’s defense leaves a lot to be desired as far as his organization. Early on in his time with UNC he would get lost on rotations and get caught out of position.
However, his youth and athleticism point toward his potential to improve when placed alongside other NBA defenders.
For the Pistons, Little could add help on the glass in lineups that see Andre Drummond on the bench. He posted 4.6 rebounds per game in his 18 minutes per game which would be a higher average than anyone outside of Drummond and Blake Griffin last season.
The defense and rebounding would help, but the offense would take the cake.
Offense
Little’s offense is raw and –much like his defense — based on his athleticism.
He showed flashes throughout the year that he can score in bunches if given the opportunity.
Now, Little averaged a meager 26 percent from three-point range on 1.4 attempts per game.
However, his jumper is not broken and is handle is above average for a player with his youth and skill set at his position. He showed this in games in college such as his 2-for-3 game from three against Virginia Tech in which he scored 23 points.
Little showed he can score in big games as well — putting up 20 points and 7 rebounds on 7-for-10 shooting against Washington in the NCAA Tournament to send the Tar Heels to the Sweet Sixteen.
Unfortunately, Little seemed somewhat lost in UNC’s system on offense — which is odd for an athletic wing to struggle in an offense that thrives in transition and arguably the most spacious team Roy Williams has had in recent memory.
Little had a tendency to stop the ball from moving and drive into defenses that were ready to strip him. His lack of spot-up shooting made him an uncomfortable fit in an offense of other players who all seemed to have well-defined roles.
A Little Risk
The scary thought when it comes to Nassir Little for Pistons fans should be Stanley Johnson 2.0 — with even worse shooting skill.
Johnson averaged 37 percent from three at Arizona and that translated to 29 percent during his time with the Pistons.
Little comes into the NBA a worse shooter, a similarly athletic wing, and probably worse defender than Johnson.
The difference is Little would be coming into a team more equipped to win, with a coach in Dwane Casey who has done much better with young, raw talent. Several young, unproven players flourished under Casey in Toronto (Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, etc.) and the use of Luke Kennard, Bruce Brown, and even Khyri Thomas went well for Casey in Detroit.
Little’s risk does not outweigh his reward for a nearly capped-out Pistons team desperate for someone of his skill and potential.