The Pacers may have a tough decision to make if Nassir Little falls

Nassir Little is on the fringe of the NBA lottery as the draft nears. He could be a very intriguing prospect for the Indiana Pacers should he slide a bit.

North Carolina landed one of the best recruits in the 2018 class when they got a commitment from Nassir Little. He was a McDonald’s All-American and five-star recruit last season. Despite not starting a single game for the Tar Heels, Little showed a lot of promise as a freshman. When the Indiana Pacers are on the clock at pick 18, they should at least consider Little.

Little began his freshman season as a projected top-5 NBA Draft pick. After a somewhat disappointing season, he has fallen in recent projections.

Mocks have placed Little anywhere between picks eight and 22. If he falls to pick 18, the Indiana Pacers have a tough decision to make.

The good: Little is an explosive athlete

If one thing stands out when watching Nassir Little it is his ability to play well above the rim. He has an excellent bounce that allows him to put defenders on posters. Little is great at getting to the rim and finishing in transition.

While he doesn’t have an efficient jump shot, he gets to the rack with ease. He is filled out well at 224 pounds, giving him a good frame to succeed as an NBA wing and small-ball four.

Little’s bounce gets him up for rebounds on both ends of the floor. It helps that he carries a wingspan of 7’1.25” with his 6’6” frame. Long arms and incredible jumping ability are a nice duo for missed shots.

But even if Little doesn’t grab the board, he stays active. His hustle cannot be denied. He keeps his hands involved and tips rebounds up to himself or teammates. He uses his length to jump in passing lanes and contest shots. Little has the tools and the heart to play in the NBA in my opinion.

As I’ve touched on briefly, Little has great instincts. He seemingly always reads the ball off the rim for a put-back slam. The points are important, but the energy is even better.

Bringing that extra life to the team must be considered, and if he does that in the NBA, he will always have a home. When he gets his hands in the passing lane, it’s all over. He turns a steal into a transition slam often. Despite only averaging 0.5 steals per game, Little made the most of his defensive prowess.

Finally, Little made the most of his minutes. He averaged 9.8 points in 18 minutes coming off the bench. He got off 7.6 shot attempts per game but also got to the line 2.8 times per contest. If that’s not enough, Little added 4.6 rebounds as the leader of the second unit. As he eases into the NBA, Little can make an impact off the bench.

The bad: He played below expectations

Any time a top recruit fails to crack the starting lineup, questions arise. The limited playing time against top-tier opponents is worth considering. He only played an average of 16.3 minutes per game against Duke and 17 minutes per game in the NCAA Tournament. Little played just 13 minutes in North Carolina’s Sweet 16 loss to Auburn. As a fan, I would be concerned about his inability to play in important games/situations.

More from 8 Points, 9 Seconds

• 2 Studs, 1 dud from gut-wrenching Indiana Pacers loss to Charlotte Hornets
• Handing out early-season grades for Pacers’ Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin
• 3 positives, 2 negatives in Pacers In-Season Tournament win vs. Cavaliers
• 2 positives, 3 negatives from first week of Indiana Pacers basketball
• Should Isaiah Jackson’s days with Indiana Pacers be numbered?

Little also did not post eye-popping shooting numbers last season. His 9.8 points per game came on .478/.269/.770 splits. He hit just 52.7 percent of his two-point field goals. His two-point and overall field goal percentages would rank in the middle of NBA wings.

The larger issue then comes with his three-point shot. 19 percent of Little’s shots came beyond the arc, bringing his effective field goal percentage to 50.4 percent. That would rank him outside the top 75 among NBA wings. He needs to develop a better shot instead of relying on slashing to the cup every time.

Although Little is an explosive and electrifying athlete, he still plays rigid. He occasionally looks stiff as he cuts to the basket and has a difficult time driving past defenders or changing directions with the ball.

That will hinder his ability to score at the basket as he takes on better talent at the next level. With an already unreliable jump shot, his scoring ability will be questionable at best.

Nassir Little needs to develop a better game and not focus on his physical tools. Those tools are handy, but they are the building blocks of what could be something far greater. If he maximizes his talents, his ceiling is outstanding.

Final verdict

I doubt Little falls far enough for the Indiana Pacers to have a real chance at him. If he does, they should be interested in his upside. Indiana needs wings that can contribute on both ends of the floor. However, the Pacers desperately need scorers and I am not sure Little has that much of an impact. He can get to the rim but cannot create his own shots.

Little is a good prospect but I don’t see him as a target the Pacers want. His offensive arsenal isn’t developed enough to fit in with the current roster. I’d expect them to target a pure scorer such as Jordan Poole or Tyler Herro instead. But if Indiana does land Little, they are getting a high-ceiling athlete that brings energy to the floor.