By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
Facundo Campazzo is apparently closer than ever to joining the NBA. According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Argentinian guard’s move to the league once the free agency begins in October “never looked more likely.”
Stein also reports that Real Madrid has known for three months about Campazzo’s intention to continue his career in the NBA. Back in May, Jorge Hernandez, Campazzo’s coach on the Argentinian national team, had said that the player is going to take advantage of any NBA opportunities that will appear in offseason, hinting that he shall be given a substantial role, unlike past options.
The Dallas Mavericks is the NBA team that has so far been reported to be showing the strongest interest for Campazzo. Mavericks star Luka Doncic said that his former Real Madrid teammate deserves to be in the NBA and that he hopes to see him there.
Campazzo’s contract with Real includes a 6 million NBA buyout, of which the player should pay 5.275 to be able to sign with an NBA club. Stein says that Campazzo is willing to waive 1.2 million that will be owed by Real between now and October in order to ease his NBA move. According to Eurohoops sources, these 1,2 million is the total cost for Real Madrid to keep Campazzo under contract until the end of October.
Real Madrid will be competing at the ACB Supercup that is scheduled to take place on September 12-13.
Following his return from a 2015-2017 loan to UCAM Murcia, Campazzo began to emerge as one of the top guards in EuroLeague, the world’s best basketball league outside the NBA. In 2019-2020, he was among Real Madrid’s leaders, averaging 9.9 points, 7.1 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 23:53 minutes over 28 EuroLeague games before the season was canceled in March.