Former Blazers first-round pick signs with Eastern Conference giant

As the Portland Trail Blazers prepare for the new NBA season, a former first-round pick of their team has signed with an Eastern Conference powerhouse. Forward Nassir Little has agreed to a one-year deal with the Miami Heat for the upcoming season.

NBA insider Chris Haynes reported the news of the free agent signing on social media.

Little spent last season with the Phoenix Suns after being traded by the Trail Blazers. He was part of the three-team deal that sent former Portland star point guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Suns waived Little earlier in the offseason to free up roster space and create some flexibility for sign-and-trades next season. He was a valuable part of what the Suns did a year ago, but he became a necessary loss for a team that had major championship aspirations.

The former Trail Blazers first-round pick showed he had value in the league and landed with the Heat. Little was taken by the Trail Blazers with the 25th overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft out of the University of North Carolina.

Little spent the first few seasons of his career in Portland and was a key part of their rotation. His best season came in 2020-21, when he averaged 9.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.

Last season with the Suns, he averaged 3.4 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. Little made 30 three-pointers, playing just 10.2 minutes per game for Phoenix last season.

While he has been a good player in the league over the years, the biggest flaw in his game has been his lack of consistency from beyond the three-point line. He has a 33% three-point shooting percentage, which is a number below what most NBA teams are looking for in this new era.

Portland extended his contract for four years and $28 million before the start of the 2022 season, but decided to part ways with him. He has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, never playing more than 54 games in a single season, which happened in his final year with the Trail Blazers.

Little will look to make an impact with the Heat and help them advance in the Eastern Conference this season.

More Trail Blazers: Former Blazers forward signs with Eastern Conference team