Paul Millsap is expected to draw interest from multiple teams as one of the top-tier power forwards available in the Free Agency market this summer. While chances are high, he will re-sign with the Atlanta Hawks for more money, testing the free agency waters often leads players to consider other options. Hoops Rumors writer Dana Gauruder identified at least nine NBA teams who could pursue Millsap, one of them is his former team, the Utah Jazz.
The 32-year old All-Star is bound to receive offers from title contenders like the Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto Raptors, and the Jazz, while the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers could also make a run at Millsap to improve their standing in their conference.
This isn’t the first time the Jazz showed interest in re-acquiring the player they picked 47th overall in the 2006 NBA Draft. Utah also made an attempt to bring back Millsap to Salt Lake City before the forward decided to re-sign with the Hawks on a three-year, $59 million deal.
How is the Millsap to Jazz scenario?
Right now, the chances of seeing Millsap in Jazz’s uniform is relatively small but not out of the realm of possibility. Jazz entered the offseason with re-signing Gordon Hayward on top of their order of business. Locking up the sweet-shooting forward to a long-term deal won’t come cheap so expect the Jazz to unload salaries through trades (Derrick Favors and Alec Burks are obvious trade candidates).
Then, there’s the conundrum surrounding around George Hill and Joe Ingles. The Jazz expressed their intention to retain the services of two outstanding veterans, but doing so could put them in the tough financial situation. Bleacher Report cap expert Dan Favale explained the Jazz’s cap situation in his off-season preview. “Are the Jazz prepared to pay $145 million (or more) before taxes to give this exact group another go?
Will they look to dump Alec Burks and Derrick Favors while handling the backup point guard reins to Dante Exum and Raul Neto to save money? Assuming Hayward returns, we're about to find out.”
A sign-and-trade deal, maybe?
The only possible way for the Jazz to acquire Millsap is to pull off a sign-and-trade deal with the Hawks.
Atlanta is currently torn between continuing their status as a second-tier playoff contender in the East and pushing that button for a full-blown rebuild. The Jazz can offer the Hawks a trade package that includes Derrick Favors’ expiring contract and Burks who is still a promising young player despite his injuries.
The acquisition of Millsap will make the Jazz one of the darkhorse contenders for the championship next season, and it not an exaggeration. Millsap’s ability to score in various ways, rebounding and guard multiple positions will make the Jazz a much more versatile team than they were last season.
Moreover, Millsap’s 31 percent clip from rainbow territory will force his defenders to guard him all the way to the three-point line, thus giving more real estate for Rudy Gobert to operate down-low.
Then again, the too-good-to-be-true Millsap to Jazz scenario will only be possible if Hayward re-signs with the Jazz. Without Hayward, there’s no reason for Millsap to sacrifice money for a non-contending squad.
