Michigan basketball: Zavier Simpson shining in Summer League, Olivier Nkamhoua update, Tim Hardaway Jr. arrives to Detroit in style
Former Michigan Wolverines point guard Zavier Simpson is entering his fifth season of professional basketball after going undrafted in 2020, and he’s participating in the NBA Summer League this month with the Charlotte Hornets.
The Hornets are currently in Sacramento for the California Classic (July 6-7 & 10). The Kings and Golden State Warriors are co-hosting the 12-game event in both Sacramento and San Francisco prior to the NBA 2K25 Summer League 2024 in Las Vegas July 12-22.
Simpson and the Hornets have one game under their belt so far, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 97-65 Saturday (July 6). Simpson started for his team and played 22 minutes, compiling 10 points, a game-high 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 1 block. The Hornets were a plus-19 in the scoring column when on the floor.
Simpson is searching for a new home after making seven appearances for the Memphis Grizzlies at the end of the 2023-24 season. He averaged 6 points, 3.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 23 minutes per game, shooting 31.5 percent overall and 29.4 percent from three-point distance.
The former Michigan point guard made four appearances (all starts) in 2021-22 for the Oklahoma City Thunder, playing 43.5 minutes per contest.
In between, he’s spent his time in the NBA G League. Last season, he played for the Motor City Cruise — an affiliate of the Detroit Pistons — before being picked up by the Grizzlies. Simpson averaged 19.9 points, 9.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per contest with the Cruise.
Summer League rosters are not complete for each team, but one other Michigan player is on a roster in rookie forward Olivier Nkamhoua with the Portland Trail Blazers.
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Nkamhoua, who missed the end of Michigan’s 2023-24 season with a wrist injury, also made the final 12-man roster for Team Finland, which bowed out in the semifinals of its qualifying tournament in Spain and Greece, losing to Spain 81-74. Nkamhoua had 6 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds and 3 turnovers in the loss.
The former Michigan forward averaged 9.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per contest in three games in the qualifiers.
Tim Hardaway Jr. arrives in Detroit
Former Michigan guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (2010-13) was recently traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons sent guard Quentin Grimes for Hardaway and three future second-round picks.
Hardaway arrived to the Detroit facilities over the weekend, sporting a Michigan football jersey of 1997 Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson.
Hardaway battled injury at the end of last season, making the NBA Finals with the Mavericks, who fell to the Boston Celtics in five games. He played in 79 outings with 12 starts in the regular season, averaging 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per contest. He shot 35.3 percent from three-point range.
