The Celtics have been doing a lot of experimenting at the wing spot this season, but one player that wasn’t expected to be the odd man out was veteran Sam Hauser. However, the sharpshooter entered Tuesday’s game stuck in a brutal 3-point shooting slump (4-of-34) that was starting to cost him his regular minutes. He played just seven in a win over the Clippers Sunday, a far cry from having a starting job on opening night.
Hauser managed to break through on Tuesday night in Brooklyn posting eight points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in Boston’s 14-point win. His steal midway through the fourth quarter was a spark plug for Boston’s game-deciding 23-9 run, as evidenced by Hauser finishing with a plus-22 in his 22 minutes.
The bounce back performance saw him earn crunch time minutes over Jordan Walsh (11 minutes due to foul trouble) and Josh Minott (10 points in 19 minutes) as Joe Mazzulla continued to find success on the wing from various different faces, depending on the night.
“It’s not necessarily energy,” Mazzulla told reporters in Brooklyn via NBC Sports Boston. “You can just tell. We got guys that can bring different things to the game. So I think that flexibility and that depth, we have to take advantage of as a team. I think it gives us the best chance to win every night, to be able to go to different stuff gives us the best chance to be successful over the long run, and the guys are doing a good job of it.”
Hauser’s best known for his shooting but his inability to contribute in other facets of the game also led to his minutes decline before Tuesday night. However, Hauser focused on staying the course amid his shooting woes and it paid off in Brooklyn as he went 2-of-5 from 3-point range.
“Of course, it’s hard,” Hauser said of his minutes fluctuating. “But you have to roll with the punches and take advantage of the time you are out there and still try to help the team win, and try to be external and not internal. It’s hard in the moment.
“Don’t think about yourself, think about the team first. If you’re thinking about yourself, your head’s not in the right place and it’s gonna be a lot of that this year, changing lineups, rotations, just trying to figure out what works. The other game, a different lineup was working, so he rolled with that and that’s cool. You just have to trust it.”
For a player who was involved in trade rumors for Boston this offseason, Hauser’s role will be worth watching as the season continues. He’s a proven commodity playing alongside Jayson Tatum as a floor spacer and his cost-controlled contract makes him a valuable asset for Brad Stevens on a contending roster.
However, the emergence of other wings this season across the roster could give the Celtics some potential intriguing options moving forward as they weigh trade possibilities in the coming months. No player on Boston’s bench can match Hauser’s 3-point prowess, but if the Celtics develop cheaper wing alternatives, Hauser’s deal could be a path to addressing another area of need (center).
Ultimately, Hauser won’t get moved in all likelihood unless the team nets some serious value for him. Performances like Tuesday are the main reason why.
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