Judging only by the numbers, Nassir Little has simply not been a very good player this year. Looking further, it’s tough to say he has necessarily been a boon for North Carolina’s successes, either. Advanced statistics seem to like his block percentage (3.3 percent as a forward) and overall defensive impact (3.2 Defensive Box-Plus Minus), but his offense is not very efficient and the playmaking reputation he earned in high school has not followed him to the NBA. Simply put, North Carolina was probably not the right situation for him to spread his wings if he indeed wants to leave school after a single season.
However, that matters little when it comes to his NBA chances. It will hurt that he can’t show NBA teams a specific set of skills that developed in college, but it’s not as if he’s regressed, either. He is at his best as a finisher in the open court, and certainly, that will be a skill set that translates and becomes easier at the NBA level. Synergy puts him in the top third of the country as a cutter and transition scorer, and he rarely turns the ball over. If the playmaking follows, well, Little’s value as a passer in the short roll, a grab-and-go fast break initiator and a secondary half-court playmaker become more fascinating.
Making the short trip to the Hornets’ facility, Little will bring athleticism and versatility rarely seen within the organization the past several years, and it doesn’t hurt that he hails from the owner and general manager’s alma mater.
With the rumor from Sam Amick’s Q&A on The Athletic today generating the first whispers about Kemba Walker’s potential exit, the Hornets will need the biggest bites at the apple they can chew. Little’s reputation and Blue Blood pedigree make him a logical choice.