Former Maryland men’s basketball player Donta Scott scored 10 points in the Golden State Warriors’ victory over the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Summer League on Sunday. He shot 4-of-8 from the field and also recorded 2 rebounds in 19 minutes of play.
Scott has appeared in four of the Warriors’ five Summer League games, including one start. He is averaging 13 minutes per game, with 5.3 points on 47.1% shooting and 2.8 rebounds.
Maryland baseball player Michael Iannazzo was selected for the summer league All-Star game roster on Sunday.
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Following a “disappointing season,” Kevin Huerter is the latest in a series of former Maryland basketball stars to make a move.
Kevin Huerter had a disappointing season, as a shoulder injury restricted him to the fewest minutes of his six-year NBA career, and he recorded a career-low 36.1 percent shooting from three-point range.
“Frustrating is definitely the word,” Huerter told the Sacramento Bee in April. “Even before the injury, there were many ups and downs — more downs, I believe, than in previous years.”
Kevin Huerter’s second season with the Sacramento Kings didn’t match the smooth experience of his first. Over 64 games, he averaged 10.2 points with a 56.4% true shooting percentage in 24.4 minutes per game, compared to 15.2 points on 61.7% true shooting in 29.4 minutes during the 2022-23 season. The Kings miss his shooting threat and his effective dribble-handoffs with Domantas Sabonis.
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Now, uncertainty surrounds whether Huerter will remain in Sacramento for the upcoming season. Trade rumors about the 25-year-old have been circulating since the end of the season and have intensified with the Kings acquiring star wing DeMar DeRozan from the Bulls. Potential trade partners reportedly include the Wizards, Bulls, Nets, Pelicans, and Jazz.
Sacramento’s General Manager, Monte McNair, recently praised Huerter, noting his recovery progress and his impressive shooting skills. McNair highlighted Huerter’s abilities in pick-and-roll situations and his notable rebounding skills, mentioning that Huerter is one of the best rebounding guards in the league. McNair expressed enthusiasm about Huerter’s return, emphasizing that his presence, along with Malik Monk’s, was missed in the latter part of the season.
This praise could suggest that Huerter is a key part of the Kings’ future plans, especially with the team’s potential to contend with stars like Sabonis, DeRozan, and De’Aaron Fox, complemented by valuable players like Malik Monk and Keegan Murray. However, Allen Stiles of a Sacramento sports radio station speculated that McNair’s comments might be an effort to enhance Huerter’s trade value.
Stiles noted that McNair’s praise could be a strategic move to increase Huerter’s appeal to other teams, suggesting that McNair might be making Huerter seem more valuable than he is, or he might genuinely believe in Huerter’s potential. Chris Watkins, Stiles’ co-host, agreed, perceiving McNair’s comments as a sales pitch aimed at boosting Huerter’s trade value.
Drafted 19th overall by the Hawks in the 2018 NBA Draft, Huerter has averaged 11.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, with a 38.2% shooting rate from three-point range. His best season was two years ago with Sacramento, where he averaged 15.2 points, shot 40.2% from three-point range, and received praise from Kevin Durant.
Meanwhile, Huerter’s former Maryland teammates have also been active in the NBA. Aaron Wiggins secured a substantial raise and extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jalen Smith signed with the Bulls, Melo Trimble earned a new contract following his Finals MVP performance, and Anthony Cowan joined a new team in Europe.
