Next NBA season, things will look different for the Boston Celtics with Jaylen Brown being traded away to the Philadelphia 76ers during the offseason. One player on the roster who's in an interesting spot heading into next season is Sam Hauser.
Hauser will be entering his sixth NBA season, all with Boston, after being signed as an undrafted rookie in 2022. Over time, Hauser has carved out a role in Boston's rotation and has become one of the best shooters in the NBA. Last season, the Wisconsin native played his most minutes per game (24.8) and averaged the most points per game (9.2). He had his least efficient season shooting, with a 41.9 field goal percentage and a 39.3 three-point percentage.
Like last season, Hauser should be a big factor in the Celtics' rotation, but this season may be the most important in his career.
Boston's depth and cost make next season important for Sam Hauser
Of all the spots on the Celtics roster, the forward room is the spot with the most depth on the team. Along with Jayson Tatum, recently acquired Paul George should be the starting forwards for Boston. Behind them, though, Boston has multiple young forwards who will compete with Hauser for minutes.
Other than Hauser, Boston has Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, and Ron Harper Jr. All four of them have NBA experience and flashed potential last season. You also have rookie draft picks, Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell.
Both Cenac and Mitchell will more than likely not be day-one rotation players. If Hauser were to struggle next season, Boston has many options for who could take his minutes. That's not to say Hauser isn't valuable, though, as he is one of the best shooters in the NBA and can help provide Boston with great spacing.
Cost-wise, Hauser also would be the one to go, as he makes the most out of the group of forwards. Should Hauser have a down season, it would make sense to move him to free up that room to address other areas of need.
This isn't to say that the 28-year-old should be moved, as his shooting skill set is very hard to find in the NBA. Last season was his worst shooting season from three, but even at 39.3 he was the 40th-best shooter in the league and second on the Celtics (behind Baylor Scheierman at 39.9%). Before this past season, Hauser had shot above 40% in each season.
Other than Scheierman, the other forwards on Boston's roster aren't the same caliber of shooter as Hauser is. With how important shooting and spacing are in the Celtics' offense, Hauser having a good season would be huge for the offense to be as good as it can be. If he can play at his previous level, Boston has other players who could see the floor instead.
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