Nuggets guard Facundo Campazzo, who played professionally in Argentina and Spain from 2008-20 before arriving in the NBA, will be a free agent at the end of the 2021/22 season. However, Campazzo said this week that he has no intention of returning to Europe or to his home country to continue his career next year — his goal is to remain in the NBA beyond his current deal, despite playing a lesser role than he did internationally.
“My mind is 100 percent set on this, in the NBA,” Campazzo said, per David Fernandez Novo of AS.com (hat tip to RealGM). “This league demands the most out of you both physically and mentally.”
Campazzo, 30, has averaged 21.1 minutes per contest in 88 games for Denver since the start of the 2020/21 campaign and has moved up on the depth chart since Jamal Murray tore his ACL in the spring. So far this season, he’s averaging 5.7 PPG and 2.6 APG on .409/.362/.810 shooting in 23 games (19.0 MPG).
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- The Nuggets had Bones Hyland and Bol Bol available on Wednesday after the two players cleared their quarantine and exited the health and safety protocols, as Mike Singer of The Denver Post tweets.
- Nuggets swingman PJ Dozier underwent surgery to repair his torn left ACL this week, the team confirmed (via Twitter). Dozier, who has been ruled out indefinitely, is expected to miss the rest of the season.
- Thunder wing Luguentz Dort met the starter criteria when he made his 23rd start of the season on Wednesday night, based on the NBA’s adjusted rules for 2021/22. Dort has a $1,930,681 team option for ’22/23, but if Oklahoma City picks up that option, he’d be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2023. Turning down the option would allow the team to re-sign Dort as a restricted free agent in 2022. In that scenario, his qualifying offer would be worth about $4.87MM.
- Despite losing to the Jazz by 32 points on Wednesday, Timberwolves guards Patrick Beverley and Anthony Edwards didn’t exactly heap praise on their opponents after the game. As Sarah Todd of The Deseret News relays, Beverley suggested that three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert isn’t guarding the best players on the court, while Edwards said that Kristaps Porzingis is a better rim protector than Gobert. “I don’t get why we couldn’t finish on Rudy Gobert,” Edwards said. “He don’t put no fear in my heart.” The Wolves and Jazz will face each other three more times this season, including twice more in December, Todd notes.
Gobert is an ELITE rim protector. Which is something Minnesota wouldn’t recognize if it stuffed them full of stuffing on Thanksgiving. They’ve never really had an ELITE rim protector since KG. Karl could be that guy, but isn’t. At least, not yet.
Karl cannot ever be an elite rim protector. He’s a decent shot blocker but he’s always out of position. Gobert is definitely elite, not a good look for the Wolves to get blown out and then act like the Jazz aren’t anything special.
Gobert can’t defend for his life!
All centers play their career game against him!
KP6 is a far better rim protector than him, Beverley & Edwards are sooo right!
I’ll never understand how people take the time to comment on articles but won’t take the time to do any sort of research.
There’s dozens of articles explaining Gobert’s value defensively, but even just looking through his game logs this season shows how wrong this comment is.
In October, Jokic was the only center to have a great game. He’s the defending MVP. Vucevic went 4-19 from the field against gobert and even Giannis decided to take 11 threes with his terrible shot to avoid Rudy.
Not a single center had anything resembling a career game against Gobert in November. The closest would be one Game against the kings where Holmes had 22 points and 7 rebounds or nurkic had 24 points. He played against Bam twice, Capela twice, Valenciunas, and others, they all struggled mightily. Centers shot totals in general drop a ton when they play Gobert because they know how good he is.
I honestly have no idea how you came to any of the conclusions you did.
How can I help you if you only know what happens this season?
If you look years past you will see how all the good centers have had their career game (which happens once in a lifetime, not every quarter of a season in one year in particular) against Gobert!
Anyway you can happily believe what you want, I know what I know my friend, have a nice day!
Lol he was even better last season. You know nothing. Poor guy.
Troll
Savage quote by Edwards, I love it.
I really hope Bol gets a chance. Especially with the Nuggets roster being depleted, why not?