The magnifying glass on the future of Facundo Campazzo in the NBA: the key decision he made for the recess and the options he handles

The final image of the season is painful. For the Nuggets and to Facundo Campazzo. The cameras leave with the greeting of Nikola Jokic with each of the Golden State figures. Each one stands in line to show the respect the Serb deserves, possibly the MVP of the season, for the second time in a row, for his high level and, above all, for having managed to get Deportivo Jokic (sorry, Denver Nuggets) to reach the playoffs. To one side, in silence and absolutely in the background, the Argentine base congratulates some rivals. But it is not like last season, which also ended in a painful elimination (by 0-4 against runner-up Phoenix), but in another context, with a protagonist Facu and a team that had advanced to the second round, after winning 4- 2 to Portland. Perhaps that image left a year ago, where he was a starter in nine of the 10 games, is the greatest hope for the future of Cordovan. This season was bad, but not for forgetting, but more for learning. It showed him how tough the NBA is, on the court and in the office. A law of the jungle in which the best survive. Or the hardest. There is no time for regrets, you have to work, wait for the chances and, of course, take advantage of them. For now, the future is uncertain, full of uncertainty for the 31-year-old whose contract is ending and already has one certainty: he has no place in Denver (and he doesn’t want to continue either). Next, the analysis of what happened and what is to come, with information.

The second season of Campazzo (5.1 points, 36% shooting, 30% triples, 3.4 assists, 1.8 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover and 18 minutes) contrasted with the first (6.1, 38%, 35%, 3.6, 2.1, 1.2, 1.1 and 22m). Always, in the one that follows, one must ratify how good it is and that is always more difficult than surprising. Facu could not do it, partly because of his responsibility and partly because of the lack of consistent opportunities. He started out playing, after how well he had done in the postseason and the absence of Jamal Murray, the still-injured starting point guard. Slow start in October (3.8 points, 25% triples, 2.2 goal passes and 18m), improved in november (6.5, 41% and 2.2 in 18m) and his best moment was in December (7.4, 32% and 5.4 in 26m). He held up for part of January (5.7, 22%, 4.6 and 21m), including an 18-point, 12-assist game against Portland (1/14), but began to lose his place within this ups and downs that is the NBA. And that was also his performance during the regular phase. On top of that -and precisely for this reason-, at the end of January the team decided to hire another player in his position, Bryn Forbes, based on the poor aim that Campazzo and several teammates had shown, within a team that decided to use the shot a lot of three points to free spaces for the great Jokic.

It was when, seeing the situation, the player and his agents asked for an exchange. The Nuggets replied that they would evaluate it and some proposals were received, but none of them closed. They preferred to keep the player for the remainder of the season, as reinsurance, despite the fact that Monte Morris, Bones Hyland, Forbes and Austin Rivers were ahead in considering an offensive coach who focused on the production of that facet. (he achieved it in the regular phase, being the attack with the best rating) to try not to be so Deportivo Jokic. This is how the story continued and the season ended, with a negative plus that was that unnecessary push to Wayne Ellington in the last game of the regular phase, which led to a fine and suspension but, above all, to talking again about Campazzo playing illegally, even “bad milk”, as more than one wrote, something that was also talked about when he was in Spain.

The truth is The Argentine did not enter even as a last option. Denver could not really compete against the Warriors and not even in the worst moments did the coach seriously trust him, despite the fact that even in a pregame he said that “he would have considerable minutes” (he played 3m in that game). Even the most critical of the Cordovan asked for him, for his defensive intensity and his way of scoring that can drive rivals crazy. Perhaps to defend Curry or Jordan Poole, a new GSW figure, for a while. Any. Clearly, Malone lost confidence in him. Or he has others that he considers better. It is true that, in the little that he entered, FC7 did not give many reasons to trust again…

This was what happened. Now, we must analyze the future. In this we go first with the information. “Facu’s initial objective is to continue in the NBA. It will be seen what offers arrive, although you already know that not much will be known until July. But he wants to continue, try to play at least one more season. This does not mean that he is confirmed, far from it. Because if the offers are bad, he will not follow. But that is his intention, to look for another chance and, in that sense, he is going to prioritize sports over economics, ”they explained to Infobae from the inner circle of the point guard, who wants to prove and prove to himself that he can play at this level. FC7 still feels young, in the best moment of his career, and believes that he can turn the situation around. “It is not ruled out to return to Europe, but his priority intention is the NBA, even if I have to row it from behind”, they completed the panorama in which Denver does not enter today. The only option is for the team to transfer Monte Morris to avoid paying the luxury tax, something that has been rumored since February, but Campazzo’s intention is to look for another team as well. And another DT.

Now a stage of work opens for him. In these months, without wasting time, will try to introduce routines that allow him to improve offensively, penetrating movements with definition -example: the floats that it could not consolidate- and, above all, in the effectiveness of your shot. A facet of the game that was never his strong point, but that in the NBA was exacerbated by being a greater distance (the line is almost a meter further away). On top of that, if you don’t score three, in the best league in the world you pay more, because of the new game trends that exist. And today Facu’s long shot is not consistent or safe. “He knows it, he’s not stupid, and he’s going to continue working hard on it this summer there,” they admitted in the environment and, a few hours later, they confirmed the hiring of an individual technique coach, Mariano Sánchez -son of the historic coach Oscar Sánchez-, who has worked with Luis Scola in that famous preview of the 2019 World Cup, with several NBA players (the Morris brothers) and recently joined the staff of the Argentine Confederation. They will start working as quickly as a week, they said. That will surely help you. “Individual training will not be lacking, as well as playing as much as possible with the National Team,” they assured, confirming that, At the end of June, Facu will be with the team that will continue to play the Qualifiers for the 2023 World Cupfirst visiting Venezuela in Puerto La Cruz and then Panama (7/3), if the insurance issue is ok, something no less for that definition date in your future…

And the second: Facu will have to wait to see what the market holds as of July 1. The good thing is that, As of June 30, he will be a free agent, with no restrictions. That means he’s not tied to anyone, or anything, that he can trade with any of the 30 franchises. You will surely expect offers from the 15th, once the teams are already more or less armed, with their figures first, and then they have to complement their squads.

The big issue here will be what they are Campazzo’s expectations. “He has no problem coming from behind, but I don’t think he wants to go third base. I doubt it”, they counted from their close circle. It is clear that if, at 31, he wants to play, be a protagonist and make important decisions, the path is not to continue in the NBA but to return to Europe, where he will be received with open arms – especially Real Madrid, with whom he signed a kind of priority if he returns to the FIBA-field. If he decides to play little, something like 10/15 minutes, to be a catalyst, he can still have hope. There may be a team that trusts that he can be the substitute point guard, since the Cordovan has fulfilled his organization, defense and leadership on the field. Or, perhaps more realistically, a third point guard with time on the field, especially today when playing with several perimeter players on the field, even with two guards, today better called guards. But, of course, for that, he will have to show a more efficient face in attack. And be willing to give up playing time to later recover ground and play even more, when the coach is convinced that FC7 is productive.

Campazzo has already shown that he has the personality, the mentality and the tenacity to turn situations around. He is now at the highest level and he knows that it is not easy. But he is confident. You have to hope that some team and their coaches have it in him.

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