Celtics

Celtics, sharpshooter Sam Hauser reportedly agree to 3-year deal

There's optimism that the 6-foot-7 forward can crack the rotation as early as next season.

By Trevor Hass

July 3, 2022

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It appears Sam Hauser, who showed potential as a shooter in his rookie year, is staying with the Celtics.

The Boston Globe‘s Adam Himmelsbach reported that the sides agreed to a three-year deal worth approximately $6 million. Himmelsbach said the first two years of the deal are fully guaranteed.

The 24-year-old Hauser, a 6-foot-7 forward with an effortless stroke, played in 26 games last season. He averaged 2.5 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.4 assists, while shooting 46 percent from the floor and 43.2 percent from 3-point range. The University of Virginia product scored in double figures twice near the end of the regular season for the Celtics.

He was steady as a shooter, particularly for a rookie, but he didn’t crack the rotation in part because of his defense. Hauser was on a two-way contract that eventually became an NBA contract. He averaged 20.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 13 regular-season games with the Maine Celtics while shooting 40.7 percent from distance. He also scored 16.9 points per game, making 43.3 percent of his 3-pointers, in the G League’s Showcase Cup.

According to Himmelsbach, there’s optimism that Hauser – who will suit up for the Celtics in the Summer League – “can become a regular rotation player for the Celtics next season.”

The Celtics’ rotation was already a tough one to crack, and it’s even more difficult now that Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari appear to be joining the roster, but it’s clear the Celtics are encouraged by Hauser’s potential. Shooting off the bench was an area of concern, and they’ve looked both internally and externally this offseason to address that need.

As Himmelsbach notes, Boston will still have three empty roster spots after signing Hauser, with rookie second-round draft pick JD Davison a strong candidate to fill one.