Nassir Little Turns Slew of Workouts Into New Contract for 2024-25

Nassir Little was once a promising young player for the Portland Trail Blazers, but after a tough couple of seasons, he had to resort to tryouts for a number of teams in recent days and weeks in order to try to land a deal for the coming season.

Mission accomplished as Little has now signed a one-year contract with the Miami Heat.

Free agent wing Nassir Little has reached an agreement on a one-year deal with the Miami Heat, league source tells me. pic.twitter.com/w2hgdXD44d
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) September 23, 2024

Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports that the deal is expected to be partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed because the Heat are up against the second apron of the luxury tax. According to Chiang's source, the guarantees in Little’s contract will, in fact, be structured to keep the Heat below that second apron threshold.

It was just a week ago that we learned that the former first-round pick (25th overall, 2019 NBA Draft), would be receiving workouts from a number of notable teams, including the Heat, Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, and Sacramento Kings.

Little, a 6'5" forward, spent last season with the Phoenix Suns, where, in 45 games, he averaged just 10 minutes a night, and a meager 3.4 points and 1.7 rebounds. He was waived by the Suns last month.

In the 2021-22 season, he displayed some promise, averaging 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in 26 minutes a night across 42 games with the Trail Blazers. But his usage and production dropped off the following year.

Overall, in 237 NBA games, Little has scored an average of 5.5 points per game with 2.9 rebounds, in just under 16 minutes per contest.

But it will be his effort at the defensive end of the floor where he'll ingratiate himself to head coach Erik Spoelstra as he can provide energy and an edge on that side of the ball.