Nuggets Rumors: Denver, Minnesota are frontrunners for Paul Millsap

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 05: Paul Millsap
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 05: Paul Millsap /
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So far, there isn’t too much NBA free agency buzz about Paul Millsap, but the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves have reportedly emerged as “frontrunners”.

The Denver Nuggets never really had a great shot at landing Blake Griffin in NBA free agency this summer, but now that he’s agreed to re-sign with the LA Clippers on a five-year deal, he’s officially off the table. This likely shifts a lot of the Nuggets’ focus onto four-time All-Star Paul Millsap, as upgrading at power forward is one of their offseason priorities and they’re high on what Millsap has to offer.

The start of free agency was quiet on the Millsap front. The Paul George to Oklahoma City Thunder trade stunned the NBA world and a hefty three-year, $57 million deal went to Jeff Teague from the Minnesota Timberwolves almost instantly. Ricky Rubio was traded to Utah, too.

There has been a lot going on, but we’re yet to hear much noise about Millsap’s plans. We have heard updates on the interest in him around the league, though, with Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reporting that Denver has emerged as a frontrunner along with Minnesota.

To add to that, David Aldridge mentioned that the Phoenix Suns will be going hard for Millsap now that their ambitious target of Blake Griffin is off the table after he agreed to re-sign with the Clippers for five years, $173 million. Griffin cancelled meetings with both the Suns and Nuggets after deciding to stay put as the new main feature of the offense in L.A.

Far more than Phoenix, who aren’t close to the level of Denver or Minnesota, Millsap makes a lot of sense for the latter two teams. For the Nuggets (as I wrote about in far more detail here), he provides much-needed defense and versatility to help cover the paint, switch onto the perimeter and cover pick-and-rolls, all of which goes a long way to helping the team’s 29th-ranked defense and addressing some of the weaknesses of the slow-footed, non-shot-blocking Nikola Jokic. At the other end of the floor, Millsap is a terrific complimentary playmaker to have at power forward in a frontcourt that already has The Joker’s wizardry, with plenty to offer as a face-up scorer and driver as well.

Next: Why Paul Millsap is a great target for Denver

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