I’ve consistently been a champion of Sam Hauser’s game since he first joined the Celtics. But I wavered. As last season wrapped up, I believed his time in Boston was probably winding down.
That wasn’t about a lack of belief in his abilities, but I felt the team needed to shake things up a bit, and his contract would give them the easiest pathway to accomplish that. The other reasoning was that they could distribute his minutes to some of their younger wings to fully understand what they’ve got there.
The problem with that analysis is that it undervalues a long sample of Hauser being flat-out awesome. To start this year he’s been as good as ever.
After a “down year” shooting 39.3% from three, he’s currently hitting a career-high 43.5%. He’s fourth in the NBA in three-point attempt rate, reestablishing himself as one of the league’s top marksmen.
With a very fluid offensive approach for Boston this year, Hauser has played a big part in their on and off-ball screening game. He’s been the recipient, flying around stagger screens and knocking shots down on the move. He’s also brought his usual ghost screen and pick-and-pop ability, creating advantages for himself or the ballhandler.
Paul George has been an extremely natural fit next to him. The two of them have such a ridiculous amount of combined shooting ability that it’s hard for an action between them to not throw the defense off.
They each demand so much attention on the perimeter. A brief mix-up here means the defense has to sprint in rotation to Hauser. Then they’ve left an equally deadly shooter in Payton Pritchard wide open.
Hauser is a key contributor in helping Boston execute their offensive principles. Factors like maintaining proper spacing and generating 2-on-1s are some of his skills that might fly under the radar, but help the Celtics play how they want to.
He’s an incredibly threatening off-ball option and has been a staple of Tatum-led bench units that historically crush teams. That’s been the case once again this year. With Tatum and Hauser on the floor, the Celtics have a +26.6 Net Rating. I try to avoid treating small samples like gospel, but for those two it’s supported by years of data.
Hauser’s spacing gives Tatum more room to operate, and Tatum’s gravity gives Hauser clean looks. It’s a perfect partnership. When you think about building a great lineup around Tatum, Sam is the exact type of fit you need.
It’s why I must say that I regret discussing him as a trade candidate. Knowing that Tatum would be back for a full season was enough to make me feel bullish on several players, but Hauser should’ve been thought of as the primary beneficiary of that. He’s always provided a boost to winning basketball games, and he’s playing alongside his most compatible teammate.
For this season, Boston has a +20.7 Net Rating swing with Hauser in the game vs on the bench. That number is absurd and will stabilize eventually. It’s clear, though, that he is a key to their success in the early part of this season.
Aside from the shooting, he’s been good enough on the defensive end to earn some high praise from Joe Mazzulla.
“He’s one of the better defenders that we have on our team, because he does a great job of taking away the #1 thing…so detailed in taking away player tendencies,” Mazzulla said.
He’s a player that can be on the floor in any scenario. Boston is developing their other wings to fit in that mold, but for Hauser there’s not a high-leverage moment where the team needs to sub him out.
This was reinforced most recently in the Celtics grind of a win against Toronto.
With the Celtics up three, and the Raptors looking to tie it, it was Hauser that sniffed out the play and came up with a huge steal to seal the game.
The fact that he was in the game for that moment speaks to the level of trust and respect the coaching staff have in his defense. Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez have the label as stronger defenders, but it’s Hauser that’s on the floor to close it out. That’s not a knock on either of those young wings, but a testament to the level of preparation Mazzulla mentioned.
For Hauser, his knowledge of the system is nearly as important as his shooting ability. This is his 6th season with the team, making him the 3rd longest-tenured Celtic. He’s reached a point where he’s leaned on for his perspective.
“Overall, I have seen a lot, experienced a lot,” Hauser said. “Just trying to help younger guys… and then this year, coaches have wanted me to be a little more vocal and share my thoughts, what I’m seeing.”
On a roster that had a serious shakeup, Hauser is a steadying force. You always know what you’re going to get from him. He doesn’t step outside of his role, and he executes it masterfully. While he may have a tradeable salary, it’s the value he provides on a great contract that makes him even more worthy of sticking around.
The Celtics are a better and more cerebral team for having him.
