There's no doubt it's shaping up to be a strange season in 2025-26 for the Boston Celtics. But one of the positives of this massive roster overhaul is going to be certain bench players getting their wish and earning a lot more playing time than they've seen in the past. One of the guys in this category figures to be Sam Hauser.
The reason this will turn out to be a positive for the Celtics is that it will give them a greater idea of what several of the players further down the bench look like in larger roles. Guys like Hauser have previously been relegated to more limited action because it's what was required given the previous makeup of this roster.
Now, we may see Hauser in a 25 or even 30-minute per night type of role with Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis all out of the picture. What that's going to do is pull back the layers and essentially show us who he really is as a player.
Sam Hauser will be among those seeing increased opportunity in Boston
As of this writing, we know Sam to be one of the best pure shooters in the association and a player with a remarkably accurate shooting touch. In the 2024-25 season, he ranked in the 99th percentile in overall shot quality, and in the 97th percentile for three-point percentage among all players in the NBA.
These numbers obviously speak to his talent, but we'd be kidding ourselves if we didn't think his 21 minutes per game role didn't also figure into it at some level. As Hauser's opportunity increases in the coming season and he sees a significant amount more time on the hardwood, it's not unreasonable to think his shooting percentages might take a slight dip.
Whatever ends up happening next season is going to tell us a lot about Sam and what his future on this team might be. He could easily impress and show that he can thrive without as many other stars around him, but he could also just as likely show some cracks in the armor and make it clear that he's better as a supporting offensive piece than a primary one.
I think it also goes without saying that Hauser will be in a better position to start this next season than he was going into last year's campaign with a hurt back. Things are lining up for him, and he'll have every opportunity to prove his value to the Celtics in 2025-26.