Nassir Little follows Suns tenure by reportedly signing contract with Heat
Sep 24, 2024, 8:16 AM | Updated: 8:19 am
Nassir Little #25 of the Phoenix Suns on the court during introductions to the NBA game at Footprint Center on December 25, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Mavericks defeated the Suns 128-114. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Former Phoenix Suns wing Nassir Little has agreed to a one-year contract with the Miami Heat, reports NBA newsbreaker Chris Haynes.
Little and E.J. Liddell were waived by Phoenix in August, opening a roster spot as the Suns eyed salary cap relief.
Charania reports the Suns stretched Little’s three years and $22 million left on his contract. That means the contract will be paid over twice the number of years left on the deal, plus one, thinning the amount owed.
While it moves millions to the salary cap table through the 2030-31 season, taking those small amounts off the books will save around $40 million in tax penalties over the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons as the Suns navigate the second apron, according to The Athletic’s John Hollinger.
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Little appeared in 45 games for Phoenix but struggled with a knee injury during the second half of the season.
Little averaged 3.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per game with a single start. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound wing was the 25th overall pick in 2019.
The Suns acquired him in the blockbuster Damian Lillard trade that shipped Deandre Ayton to the Trail Blazers and brought Jusuf Nurkic and Grayson Allen to Phoenix.
