The expectations are high for Sam Hauser after the Boston Celtics re-signed him to a three-year deal to start the summer. But is he ready for the challenge?

The Celtics are hoping Hauser can provide scoring off the bench from the wing position. The idea here is for Hauser to join the second unit Boston has put together, led by floor general Malcolm Brogdon and proven shooter Danilo Gallinari. 

After converting his two-way contract into an NBA deal last year, Hauser played 26 games, averaging 43.2 percent from behind the arc in 2021-22.

What Hauser still needs to show is if he can create shots for himself. Noted by John Karalis on the Locked on Celtics Podcast, all of Hauser’s 3-pointers are all from assists. He’ll need to be able to create more for himself offensively and we have yet to see it.

The part of Hauser’s game that hurts him is playing spotty defense. He’s not going to play a pestering style or take a charge, but he will keep his man on his hip. Hauser is still a bit slow to pick up switches and it was noticeable in Boston’s second Summer League game against Milwaukee. 

However, he recently said he wants to show he has more to bring to the table than being a shooter. On a team like the Celtics, Hauser knows he needs to perform well on defense.

As we inch closer to the start of Summer League play, Sam Hauser is ready to showcase his full skill set. pic.twitter.com/Eu5v3acp7P

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) July 7, 2022

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