7 Suns players who will thrive playing under Mike Budenholzer
By Luke Duffy
6. Nassir Little
Going in a completely different direction, and the barely used Nassir Little stands to profit from Budenholzer arriving in Phoenix. Little was a throw-in to the deal that sent Deandre Ayton to the Portland Trail Blazers last summer for Jusuf Nurkic and Grayson Allen, and his role reflected that.
He averaged just over 10 minutes in 45 games for the team, while in the playoffs he saw 3.5 minutes of action across the sweep from the Timberwolves. If anything Little's main appeal to the franchise right now is that his contract is easily moveable and could help the Suns down the road.
In his third season in the league however, Little averaged nearly 10 points per game for the Trail Blazers. He also started 23 games that year, by far and away the most he's managed in his five seasons in the league. So could Budenholzer somehow get the most out of a player who is still only 24-years-old?
On the offensive end at least, it certainly looks like a possibility. Given the lack of roster flexibility at his disposal as well, turning Little into a legitimate role player on the second unit would be like found money for Budenholzer and the Suns. Do not be surprised then if Little contributes next season.