Boston Celtics sharpshooter Sam Hauser recently signed a contract extension with the team. Hauser is coming fresh off a championship win with the Celtics wherein he played a pivotal role for the team. His best performance came in Game 4 of the 2024 NBA Finals where he scored 14 points and made four out of six three-point bombs.
Hauser's exceptional shooting is most likely what convinced the Celtics to offer him a four-year extension worth $45 million. The sharpshooter is appreciative of the offer and is glad that the team trusts him. Hauser began his NBA career in Boston and has already achieved the ultimate goal in a span of three years only.
Pretty special that they gave me an opportunity early on when nobody else did and I just tried to run with it,” Hauser said. “They believed in me, and I’m just glad I can be here and be with this team and have another chance to win it all.
Sam Hauser's improvements in playing with the Celtics
Back in 2021, Sam Hauser went undrafted and his future seemed uncertain. However, the Boston Celtics took a chance on him and offered him a three-year contract worth $5.65 million. Knowing that could be his only shot, Hauser capitalized on the opportunity and proved to be a great addition to the team.
In Hauser's rookie season, he only averaged 2.5 points in 6.1 minutes of play within 26 games. While the numbers were unsurprisingly low, what caught everyone's attention was efficiency in shooting. Out of all the shots he took, Hause averaged 43.2% shooting from beyond the arc and 46% shooting overall. His accuracy from beyond the arc is close to Grayson Allen's three-point percentage last season.
Given these factors, the Celtics awarded Hauser with extra minutes in the 2022-23 season. Playing 16.1 minutes per game, his averages improved to 6.4 points and 2.6 rebounds. Out of the 80 regular season games he played, Hauser started in eight of them. While his accuracy dropped a bit, that was simply because he took more shot attempts. Nevertheless, he managed to keep his accuracy up to par to his rookie season with 41.8% shooting from three-point land.
With these improvements, the Celtics once again rewarded Hauser with an increased playing time. The sharpshooter played 22.0 minutes in 79 games wherein he started in 13 of them. With the added minutes, Hauser increased his numbers to 9.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game.
Ultimately, Hauser's deadeye shooting contributed to the Celtics' 18th NBA title. Given the impact he had on his team, it makes a lot of sense why Boston wants to keep him around. Getting rid of their shooter could harm their efficiency on offense, even if it was only by a little.
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