Boston Celtics: Could EuroLeague star be next international gamble?

Recently, teams have expressed interest in Real Madrid point guard Facundo Campazzo. Could the Boston Celtics–who have established an international pipeline the last few offseasons–be a suitor?

When it comes to free agent chatter, the talk could be premature (if the season ends) or early (free agency is likely to be pushed back several months after the NBA Draft was recently moved). Regardless, assessing who could be on the task force for Boston Celtics championship #18 is always an exciting endeavor.

Recently, an interesting name has popped up in the rumor mill. Facundo Campazzo of Real Madrid and formerly of the Argentinean national team was recently linked to two Texas teams in the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs.

While the Spurs make sense as a destination due to their history of deploying foreign-bred players in the Alamo City, Danny Ainge has made the Boston Celtics a viable home for several international players like Daniel Theis, Vincent Poirier and even American-born but internationally christened Brad Wanamaker the past few years.

With Wanamaker’s contract set to end, his roster spot becomes theoretically up for grabs. While Ainge knows what Wanamaker can contribute to the team after agreeing to one-year veteran’s minimum contracts the past years, Campazzo is an intriguing what-if for every front office in the league.

The Spurs and Mavericks are uniquely interesting suitors because they are in different stages of the NBA life cycle. San Antonio’s run at the top of the Western Conference appears about over with aging stars with ill-fitting games in DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge leading the charge. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks are trending upwards because of their under-25 phenoms Luka Dioncic and Kristaps Porzingis.

A team with a fair middleground between them is Boston. Armed with veterans looking to win after limited success on their original teams in Kemba Walker and Gordon Hayward as well as future superstars in Jayson Tatum (who has arguably arrived already) and Jaylen Brown, the C’s can use depth at the point guard as well.

Behind Walker, there is uncertainty. Tremont Waters could win a roster spot, but even still he should be brought alone slowly. Ainge hopes he doesn’t have buyer’s remorse for potentially gifting Carsen Edwards a long-term deal before he ever truly proved he deserved one. He may or may not be reliable as a backup floor general and may better profile as an undersized two.

Campazzo would join this scrappy and undersized back-court with myriad lessons to teach about overcoming height with heart. I chronicled Campazzo’s toughness for Nothin But Nets in 2017:

"Fans may remember some of Campazzo’s standout performances against Team USA. During the 2016 Summer Olympics, the 5-foot-10 guard stood up to Deandre Jordan following an altercation with Kyrie Irving. Campazzo also clashed with Chris Paul as a 21-year-old in the 2012 Olympics in London."

With the world watching Campazzo has stood out. Not to mention, his recent FIBA success during a tournament in which the United States team–one that featured several Boston Celtics–faltered should lend credence to the idea that he can hang in the modern NBA.

Even if Campazzo could push Walker and the young C’s guard duo whenever 2020-21 training camp starts, it seems wise for Ainge to consider Campazzo to be his next international gamble.