Celtics Offseason Signing Could Make Sam Hauser Expendable, Says Insider

Will the Boston Celtics finally part ways with sharpshooting small forward Sam Hauser at some point this season?

After going undrafted out of Virginia in 2021, the 6-foot-8 wing latched on with Boston, ultimately emerging as one of the best catch-and-shoot 3-point marksmen in the NBA today.

For his career, Hauser is a 42 percent 3-point shooter on 4.9 triple tries a night. In 71 healthy contests for the 61-21 Celtics last year (19 starts), Hauser averaged 8.5 points on .451/.416/1.000 shooting splits, 3.2 rebounds, 0.9 dimes, and 0.6 blocks per.

More news: Celtics Predicted to Trade Sam Hauser This Season By Insider

John Hollinger of The Athletic posits that Hauser's cheaper replacement could already be waiting in the wings, in the form of minimum-salary signing Josh Minott.

"I was high on Minott coming out of Memphis, but he’s spent the last three years marooned at the end of the Minnesota bench while a deep, veteran team chased the top seeds in the West," Hollinger notes. "With a move to Boston, that will not be the case."

The 6-foot-8 pro, still just 22, was a part-time player with Minnesota last year. In 46 games for the 49-33 Timberwolves, Minott averaged 2.6 points on .489/.326/.895 shooting splits, 1.0 rebounds, and 0.4 assists across 6.0 mop-up minutes per.

"The one player definitely ahead of him on the depth chart at power forward (Sam Hauser) might end up being traded at some point to get the Celtics under the luxury tax, and the overall depth situation virtually requires Minott to play if he can demonstrate any rotation-level ability at all," Hollinger notes.

Minott is a career 33.9 percent 3-point shooter on 0.6 triple tries per, meaning he thus far doesn't have the volume long range sniping acumen that has become Hauser's trademark, but Hollinger has expressed optimism that Minott can grow into that aspect of his game.

"Little snippets from his time in Minnesota indicate that he might deliver. Minott came into the league with a reputation as a non-shooter, but he attempted a 3-pointer every 6.4 minutes in his limited playing time last season," Hollinger writes. "Between the NBA and the G League, he’s shot 85.2 percent from the line for his career. We’re likely to get a much larger shooting sample this season, but it seems likely he can make enough 3s to be viable on the perimeter."

More news: Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Receives 5-Word Message From Kevin Durant on Recovery

Hauser finds himself in the first season of a four-year, $45 million contract extension deal he had agreed to just days after helping Boston win its record-extending 18th championship.

The Celtics made a flurry of cost-cutting moves this summer to dip under the league's punitive second luxury tax apron. Now, the club is a few million bucks over the first luxury tax apron, and one wonders if the mid-sized contract of Hauser will be the next to go.

Minott's Upside

Hollinger is concerned about Minott's size against bigger forwards, but thinks he could have some defensive upside on the other end.

"...Minott’s thin frame gets pushed around in the frontcourt. However, on the perimeter, he’s very mobile for his size and should be able to handle checking smaller players," Hollinger notes. "The Celtics have him on a two-year deal with a cheap option for next season, but Minott is only 22, and there’s some upside. I’ll be watching closely to see how this movie ends."

Latest Celtics News

For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI.