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Nuggets Free Agency: Why Paul Millsap is a great target for Denver

By Tom West

Feb 8, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) reacts after making a basket as Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler (21) is shown on the play in the second quarter of their game at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) reacts after making a basket as Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler (21) is shown on the play in the second quarter of their game at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 26, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) drives to the basket as Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) defends in the fourth quarter in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 26, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) drives to the basket as Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) defends in the fourth quarter in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Versatile defense

No matter how many remarkable things Nikola Jokic can do with the ball in his hands on offense and no matter how well he can rebound, he isn’t a good defender. With slow feet and no bounce, he struggles away from the basket and hasn’t been able to put his 7’3″ wingspan to much use as a rim protector (he only averaged 0.8 blocks per game last season and surrendered an awfully generous shooting percentage of 56.9 to opponents at the rim).

That hurts the Nuggets in the paint, and generally speaking the team just can’t defend. Having a mixture of young guys doesn’t help whatsoever either in terms of finding mistake-free play and good positioning, which only increases the value of someone like Paul Millsap, an experienced, vocal, consistent defender.

He’s one of the better defensive forwards in the league, having the capability to switch out onto smaller players (including some guards) and cover pick-and-rolls. His basic defensive numbers took a hit playing alongside Dwight Howard who filled up the paint more for Atlanta this season, but Millsap averaged career-highs in rebounds (nine), steals (1.8) and blocks (1.7) per game in 2015-16, and still ranked sixth among all power forwards in 2016-17 in Defensive Real/Plus Minus at 3.35.

(For the record, he was an extremely impressive third at his position in overall Real Plus/Minus. That gives a quick impression of just how impactful he is.)

Millsap does so many things well. From his ability to switch around defensively and make an impact in passing lanes and help protect the rim, he’s one of the easiest players to fit onto any NBA team because he can make an impact in multiple areas of the game and doesn’t need to hit shots to be a positive. As if this wasn’t all good enough, the far more agile, switchy play of Millsap is perfect not just for a 29th-ranked defense, but one that has Jokic’s lack of mobility at center. Millsap will support him and can help quarterback the Nuggets at that end of the floor.

Then, there’s his offense.