What the Boston Celtics Can Expect From Sam Hauser

This is the next installment in a series of pieces examining what the Boston Celtics can expect from each of their players this season. Today, it's Sam Hauser. Monday: Derrick White.

Others in the series: The Rookies, Mike Conley, Paul George, Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper Jr., Payton Pritchard, and The Centers.

Sam Hauser has one of the most interesting shots I’ve ever seen in a deep threat. The arc on the shot almost looks like a video game glitch, but it gives Hauser a nice soft touch on the shot. When that shot is pure, it’s intoxicatingly perfect. 

But when it’s off, it’s one of the most frustrating things to watch. 

It might sound weird to say, but his slumps generally feel like they're on the verge of ending because he’s such a good shooter. The misses always feel like makes until they get to where they're going, just a little bit off target. 

The problem, though, is that as much as it seems he’ll get back on track, it often takes a long time for him to do so. 

Hauser shot 39.3% from three last season, which was third among Celtics who lasted a full season (fifth if you included Josh Minott and Anfernee Simons). It was the first time in his career, and probably his organized basketball life, that he ended a season below 40% from deep, and as usual, he hopscotched his way to that final number. 

Here are his shooting splits from last season:

Three-point shooting is streaky by nature because it’s the most difficult shot on the floor. Hauser’s streakiness has always seemed to be a little more pronounced, though, and it’s what makes him vulnerable to losing minutes. 

Don’t get me wrong, there's always room for a 40% three-point shooter in the NBA, and Hauser has grown his game to be more than that at this point. But it is still his primary function, and players like Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr. are all hyenas looking to pounce on Hauser’s minutes if he slips at all this season. 

Scheierman seems especially poised to flip spots with Hauser this season. He’s one of the two guys ahead of Hauser in three-point shooting (39.9%. Luka Garza led the Celtics at 43.3%). And as much as Hauser has grown to be a player who can attack closeouts, make passes off drives, and defend his position, Scheierman is naturally better at all of those things. If the shooting is real, then we could see Joe Mazzulla make an adjustment. 

Hauser also turns 29 in December, so he’s three years older and, at least this season, $8 million more expensive than Scheierman. The Celtics are fine financially at this point, but if they want to make an addition at any point this season and still stay under the tax, Hauser and his $10.8 million are a prime candidate to get moved. There are a few teams out there with exceptions big enough to take Hauser without giving anything back to make that happen. 

Even if Hauser makes it through this season, his salary is perfect to help match a variety of salaries, making him a prime trade candidate. No matter how consistent he becomes, Hauser seems destined to get caught up in apron era cap maneuvering. The Celtics aren’t just trying to reset the repeater tax and avoid those penalties, they are hard-capped at the first apron this season, limiting any pivots that present themselves. 

Hauser has improved a lot over his time in Boston, and has become impressively well-rounded for an undrafted wing with questions about his game beyond his shooting. He earned his big contract extension by improving his defense and off-the-dribble game. No matter how things go, he deserves the credit for developing into the player he is today. Any steps further in his ability to read defenses and make plays, or more consistently hitting big shots in big moments, will make decisions that much tougher for Stevens and the Celtics. 

In the end, we know what we’re getting with him on the floor. He’s a threat to break a shooting record every time he’s out there. The spacing he provides is extraordinarily valuable and his ability to operate in it has improved to the point where he’s a trusted part of the rotation. There probably isn't much more to add to his game at this point. 

Hauser will be Hauser. The only question is how much longer he will be a Celtic.