Mike Scott Rumors | Hoops Rumors

International Notes: Theis, Birch, M. James, M. Scott

June 8th, 2024 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

Clippers center Daniel Theis, who will be an unrestricted free agent, would draw significant interest from EuroLeague teams if he’s unable to find an NBA offer he likes this offseason, according to a report from TeleSport (Twitter link; hat tip to Sportando).

Sources tell TeleSport that Barcelona, Fenerbahce, and Panathinaikos would be among the teams with interest in the German big man if he becomes open to the idea of returning to Europe. Theis has played in the NBA since 2017, but began his professional career in Germany from 2010-17.

After opening the 2023/24 season in Indiana, Theis agreed to a buyout with the Pacers and caught on with the Clippers, who needed a backup center after Mason Plumlee suffered a knee injury. Theis averaged 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game across 59 appearances with Los Angeles.

Here are a few more notes from around the international basketball world:

Former NBA big man Khem Birch, who is healthy again and finished this past season playing for Girona in Spain, has accepted an invitation to take part in training camp with the Canadian national team this summer, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. It’s unclear whether or not there will be a spot available for Birch on Canada’s 12-man Olympic roster. He didn’t play for the team at least year’s World Cup, with Kelly Olynyk and Dwight Powell serving as Canada’s primary centers. Probable first-round pick Zach Edey will also be in that mix.
According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com, sources have disputed the claim that EuroLeague MVP Mike James is on the verge of signing a new contract to remain with AS Monaco. Despite lengthy extension talks between the two sides, no deal is in place and James may explore his options on the open market, sources tell Urbonas. The veteran guard last played in the NBA in 2021 for Brooklyn.
Former NBA forward Mike Scott has parted ways with French team ASVEL and will continue his career with Gigantes de Carolina in Puerto Rico, tweets Urbonas. The 35-year-old forward appeared in 555 regular season NBA games from 2012-21, last playing for Philadelphia.

International Notes: Campazzo, Scott, Kurucs, Evans

July 29th, 2023 at 1:22pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Argentinian guard Facundo Campazzo had an eventful stint in the NBA over the past three seasons, appearing in 138 games with Denver and Dallas.

Campazzo joined the Nuggets in 2020, playing in 65 games and making 19 starts, averaging 6.1 points and 3.6 assists. The 5’10” guard became integral to the Nuggets’ rotation, starting nine out of 10 of Denver’s playoff games and averaging 9.3 points, 4.1 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 27.0 minutes. However, Campazzo’s regular season role diminished slightly the following season and he only averaged 3.3 minutes in Denver’s ’21/22 playoff run.

In an interview with Marca (hat tip to Eurohoops), Campazzo spoke about the unpredictability of the NBA.

“It’s a roller coaster, you always have to be ready,” he said. “Knowing that it is a seesaw, I tried to put my energy into things that I could control, like having an impact on the game when it was my turn to play and, if not, being ready when the coach called my name.”

After spending two years in Denver, Campazzo didn’t return to the Nuggets. The Mavericks signed him to a deal at the beginning of the ’22/23 season, but he only appeared in eight games with Dallas, averaging 6.5 minutes.

“I wanted to try another year in the NBA and it happened that they cut me after a month and a half,” Campazzo said. “That’s why my return to Europe after the cut was a bit strange, in the middle of the season, with the teams already assembled, it was difficult… There were offers, but it was complicated.”

Campazzo ended up signing with Crvena Zvezda of the Serbian League before inking a four-year contract with Liga ACB’s Real Madrid, where he previously played in ’14/15 and ’17-20.

“It was possible to negotiate a return and [I’m] happy to be able to return to a place that I feel is my home,” Campazzo said. “I am super motivated and looking forward to everything starting now.”

There’s more international news.

Forward Rodions Kurucs, the No. 40 overall pick from the 2018 NBA draft, signed with UCAM Murcia of Liga ACB, according to a release from the club. Kurucs played in 115 games for the Nets from 2018-20, averaging 6.5 points per game for the team, before making brief stops with the Rockets and Bucks. As a 20-year-old rookie for the Nets, Kurucs averaged 8.5 points for a Brooklyn squad that earned the sixth seed in the playoffs. During his rookie season, Kurucs was named to the Rising Stars Challenge. Eventually, Kurucs was part of the trade that sent James Harden to the Nets from the Rockets, but he wasn’t in the Rockets’ long-term plans and returned to play overseas in 2021.
Fresh off being named MVP of the Puerto Rican League final, former NBA forward Mike Scott is reportedly signing with ASVEL Basket and will make his EuroLeague debut next season, as Sportando relays (original report via Théo Quintard). Scott played in the NBA from 2013-21, averaging 6.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in 555 career appearances across stints with the Hawks, Wizards, Clippers and Sixers. Following his time with the Sixers, Scott played with SLUC Nancy Basket of the LNB Pro A in 2022/23 before playing with Gigantes de Carolina in Puerto Rico, where he won the aforementioned finals MVP after averaging 26.7 PPG in the team’s four wins.
Former NBA guard Jawun Evans has signed with Poland’s Slask Wroclaw, the team announced in a press release. Evans, the No. 39 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, has 56 games of NBA experience with the Clippers, Suns and Thunder. Evans’ played 48 of those games with the Clippers, averaging 4.8 PPG with the team in ’17/18. Evans played in summer league with the Suns this month before signing with Slask.

Atlantic Notes: KD, Bryant, Raptors, Lowry

March 25th, 2021 at 9:46pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Nets All-Star Kevin Durant did not travel with Brooklyn for the club’s three-game road trip, according to Malika Andrews of ESPN. Head coach Steve Nash shed some light on the team’s decision to keep Durant home. The two-time Finals MVP has been unavailable for the club since February 12 with a left hamstring strain.

“We just felt like it didn’t benefit him to travel across the country while he is trying to get that critical last part of his rehab done,” Nash said of the Nets’ star forward. “If this was the playoffs, there’s a chance he’d be back very soon, but there’s no point in taking a big risk with him when the most important thing is to get him back for the remainder of the season.”

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Knicks associate head coach Johnnie Bryant, a former Utes player and Jazz assistant coach, is still in the hunt to become the new University of Utah head coach, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.
The Raptors made some significant changes at the trade deadline, but they didn’t move the player everyone was perhaps most expecting to be dealt. Blake Murphy of The Athletic takes stock of where Toronto stands in terms of its draft assets and salary cap space going forward.
The Sixers opted not to trade for point guard Kyle Lowry, an unrestricted free agent this summer, apparently due to an ample asking price from the Raptors, as Rich Hoffman and Derek Bodner of The Athletic detail. The Raptors reportedly wanted a package centered around young players Matisse Thybulle and Tyrese Maxey, two future first-round draft picks, with veterans Danny Green and Mike Scott added to match Lowry’s incoming salary in a move.

Roster Transformation Looming For Raptors?

March 24th, 2021 at 6:48am CST by Luke Adams

With less than 36 hours to go until the 2021 trade deadline, the Raptors are “hurtling toward a roster transformation,” according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that the team is engaged in multiple trade discussions involving Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell.

We covered some of the latest Lowry and Powell rumors late last night, noting that Lowry will reportedly seek a two-year contract worth at least $50MM from whichever team lands him, while Powell seems increasingly likely to be moved.

Wojnarowski confirms that Powell will probably be dealt, suggesting the question now is more about which of his “dozen or so” suitors will land him. Toronto could go in a number of different directions on the Powell front, depending on whether the team prioritizes young players or draft picks, Wojnarowski suggests. The odds of a Lowry trade are also gaining traction, Woj adds.

The Sixers and Heat have been frequently cited as the most likely landing spots for Lowry, but there are a handful of other teams involved as well, according to Wojnarowski, who says the Raptors are taking into consideration the veteran guard’s wishes as they consider possible scenarios. Lowry has an “open mind” about several possible destinations, sources tell ESPN.

Here’s more on the Raptors’ top two trade candidates:

The Sixers have discussed separate deals with the Raptors involving both Lowry and Powell, reports Wojnarowski.
In a deal with the Sixers for Lowry – not Powell – the Raptors would want at least one of Tyrese Maxey or Matisse Thybulle, but Philadelphia appears unwilling to part with Thybulle, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype has heard similar rumblings, writing that Maxey is among the assets available in a package for Lowry, while the Sixers are reluctant to part with Thybulle. Some executives around the league believe the inclusion of Thybulle – who has drawn interest from multiple teams – could swing the Lowry sweepstakes, Scotto adds.
One league executive thinks a package of Maxey, a first-round pick, and matching salaries (Danny Green, Tony Bradley, and Mike Scott) could get a Lowry deal done, assuming the Raptors can open up roster slots for all the incoming players, Pompey writes.
Tyler Herro is the sticking point in a potential Lowry-to-the-Heat trade, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). Toronto wants Herro, who still has two years left on his rookie contract after this season, but Miami is more comfortable parting with RFA-to-be Duncan Robinson, Grange explains.

NBA Fines Sixers For Injury-Reporting Violation

January 11th, 2021 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has hit the Sixers with a $25K fine for violating the league’s rules on injury reporting, according to a press release.

Philadelphia didn’t list Ben Simmons on its injury report for Saturday’s game vs. Denver, but held him out of the contest due to a knee issue. The NBA insists that teams be transparent in their reporting of injuries and players’ availability.

Chris Haynes and Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports (Twitter links) first reported that the league was investigating the 76ers’ handling of Simmons’ status and that the club would be fined for the violation.

Simmons has been ruled out for Monday’s game vs. Atlanta, as we relayed on Sunday. He’s one of eight Sixers players who will be unavailable — Terrance Ferguson is out for personal reasons, Furkan Korkmaz has a left adductor strain, and five players are sidelined due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Joel Embiid (back) and Mike Scott (knee) will be available.

Sixers Notes: OKC Trade, Maxey, Scott, Harden

December 8th, 2020 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Nearly three weeks after first agreeing to terms, the Sixers were finally able to complete their six-player trade with the Thunder today, acquiring Danny Green, Terrance Ferguson, and Vincent Poirier in the deal.

According to Derek Bodner of The Athletic (Twitter link), one minor aspect of the deal was previously unreported, as the 76ers sent $2MM in cash to Oklahoma City to complete the move. That amount will count toward the $5.617MM limit that Philadelphia can sent out in trades over the course of the 2020/21 league year.

Here’s more out of Philadelphia:

Tyrese Maxey and Mike Scott received clearance to participate in non-contact drills today and are expected to join the team’s group workouts on Wednesday, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Maxey and Scott had to clear the NBA’s coronavirus protocols after registering positive tests.
Addressing the James Harden trade rumors connecting the Sixers to the Rockets star, head coach Doc Rivers said he’s making it clear to his players that those rumors aren’t coming from Philadelphia’s side (Twitter link via Pompey). “You know, as long as you don’t hear them from us, you should be very comfortable,” Rivers said. “We like our team, man. I tell you, that team I just watched out there (at practice) is really special.”
Rivers’ comments were in response to a report that said Harden has indicated to Houston that he’d be open to a trade to Philadelphia. In an Insider-only story, ESPN’s Bobby Marks explores which teams could realistically make a play for Harden, noting that any 76ers offer would almost certainly have to start with Ben Simmons.

Tyrese Maxey, Two Other Sixers Tested Positive For Coronavirus

December 6th, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

5:00pm: Mike Scott and another unidentified Sixers player are also waiting to clear coronavirus protocols after testing positive, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

3:41pm: Sixers rookie Tyrese Maxey has been held out of training camp after testing positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19, Derek Bodner of The Athletic tweets.

Bodner notes that Philadelphia anticipates the 6’3″ combo guard out of Kentucky, drafted with the No. 21 pick last month, will join the team within the next few days.

Maxey averaged 14.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, and 0.9 SPG in 34.5 MPG for the Wildcats across 31 games. In his lone collegiate season, he made the All-SEC Second Team and the SEC All-Freshman Team.

The 20-year-old Maxey was new Sixers team president Daryl Morey‘s first selection for Philadelphia. A strong defender projected to be able to operate both as a lead ball-handler and an off-ball option, Maxey had already worked out with Sixers All-Star guard/forward Ben Simmons ahead of team practices.

Atlantic Notes: Simmons, Scott, Nets, Lowry

December 8th, 2019 at 12:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Ben Simmons made his second career 3-pointer last night, but Sixers coach Brett Brown is looking forward to the day that Simmons’ long-distance shooting isn’t a story anymore, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Brown challenged Simmons to make the 3-pointer a regular part of his arsenal, telling reporters he would like him to shoot at least one every game.

“This is what I want,” Brown said, ”and you can pass it along to his agent, his family and friends. I want a 3-point shot a game, minimum. The pull-up 2s … I’m fine with whatever is open. But I’m interested in the 3-point shot. The mentality that he has where he’s turning corners and taking that long step, that gather step, and bringing his shoulders to the rim and trying to dunk or finish tight, will equal higher efficiency, or getting fouled. That’s the world that interests me the most. Those two things.”

Shortly after signing a five-year extension this summer, Simmons talked about becoming more of an outside shooting threat. That hasn’t materialized so far, as he has taken just four in 21 games.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Mike Scott took advantage of his first start of the season Saturday, delivering 21 points in a win over Cleveland, relays Mike Narducci of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Scott broke out of a shooting slump with nine first-quarter points as the Sixers built a big lead. “Just to try to find something to jump-start him,” Brown said in explaining the lineup change. “He has been down. We need him to be up.”
When the Nets signed DeAndre Jordan this summer, they weren’t sure how he was going to fit with Jarrett Allen, but the centers have made the pairing work, observes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Jordan and Allen are the only teammates in the league who rank in the top 10 in effective field goal percentage and rebound percentage. “During the summer, there could’ve been a lot of negative thinking in my head,” Allen said. “… But I took it as a positive. They brought him in, and he’s a great person to learn from — first-team All-Defense — he had a great background and I just tried to learn from him as much as I could.”
Kyle Lowry was surprised to learn that he’s the longest-serving active professional athlete in Toronto, notes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. “I thought I was going to be here for a year, two years, and be long gone,” said Lowry, who has played 507 regular season games for the Raptors. “Come up here for business and that’s about it but, at the end of the day, I think the perseverance and the work I’ve put in and the belief the organization has in me means something.”

Sixers Notes: Horford, Simmons, Korkmaz, Scott

October 1st, 2019 at 10:07am CST by Arthur Hill

Al Horford decided to leave a contending team in Boston because he saw a better opportunity for a championship with the Sixers, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia enters camp among the favorites to win the NBA title, and Horford will serve as a veteran presence in an impressive starting lineup that also features Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris and Josh Richardson.

“The opportunity to win, I am going in my 13th season, that is important to me,” Horford said. “I feel we have an opportunity to win now and that was something that was hard for me to pass.”

Horford seemed like part of the foundation in Boston, but he surprised the Celtics by opting out of the final year of his contract and agreeing to a four-year, $109MM agreement with a bitter rival. He said the experience of leaving Atlanta for Boston three years ago helped him prepare for the adjustment of changing teams.

“I have done this before, so for me it is a little easier, the transition,” Horford said. “Another side of it can be overwhelming with all that comes with being on a new team and building relationships and getting to learn the city and all these things.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

With a new five-year extension in hand, Simmons is ready for a fresh start to his NBA career, which includes ignoring critics who harp on his jump shot or anything else, relays Marc Narducci of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Simmons spent the last few months trying to fix his errant jumper and said he fell in love with the game again during the offseason. “I think I was too worried about what people were saying, what was going around, too many outside noises,” he said. “I was able to really block them out this summer and not really focus on what people were saying.”
Furkan Korkmaz will have to improve his 3-point shooting to have a consistent role this season, observes Derek Bodner of The Athletic. Korkmaz requested a trade last season and has complained about his lack of playing time. Bodner notes that Philadelphia added depth at the wing position, so Korkmaz may see even fewer minutes this year.
Mike Scott admits to poor judgment when he fought with Eagles fans after showing up to the team’s opening game in a Redskins jersey, relays ESPN.

Sixers’ Mike Scott Won’t Face Discipline Over Weekend Scuffle

September 10th, 2019 at 5:25pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Mike Scott got into a scuffle with fans of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles over the weekend with TMZ Sports obtaining video of the incident. Scott won’t face discipline for the altercation, as the Sixers tell Kyle Neubeck of the Philly Voice. As is the case when Sixers players attend sporting events in the city, Scott was accompanied by a member of team security at the tailgate.

While the video is obviously just part of the story, Scott, who was wearing a jersey of the late Sean Taylor on Sunday, was seen throwing several punches as Philadelphia fans surrounded him. Neubeck reports that some of the fans’ insults quickly escalated from standard unfriendly team hostility – such as obnoxious anti-Redskins chants – to racial slurs.

Scott was on his way to a popular “4th and Jawn” tailgate event, having planned for weeks to make an appearance. He stopped at a nearby tailgate at which the patrons had a coffin, which prominently displayed a “Party Like It’s 1991” shirt on it in reference to the last time the Redskins won the Super Bowl. Per Neubeck, the crowd did not recognize Scott as a member of the Sixers and greeted him with hostility.

Scott, who is a Virginia native, re-signed with the Sixers this offseason on a two-year, $9.8MM contract.