The Denver Nuggets got their man in NBA free agency by agreeing to a three-year, $90 million deal with Paul Millsap, but what grade does the move deserve?
The Denver Nuggets made one of the biggest splashes in NBA free agency this summer, and possibly the biggest in the history of their franchise, when they agreed to a three-year, $90 million deal with All-Star Paul Millsap.
It’s time for our Nugg Love staff to weigh in on the deal, grading it based on the financial technicalities of the contract itself and, first and foremost, what Millsap can do for Denver. Courtesy of contributors Kostas Christofis, Blake Holmes, Sean Taira and my co-expert Mathew Huff, here are our grades.
Mathew: A-
I have to give the Nuggets an A- on this. I know Millsap is 32 years old, but keep this in mind for a moment. Millsap was originally seeking a four-year, $150 million contract. Denver got him for three years and £90 million with a team option on the third year. That’s a bargain for the Nuggets. Plus, look at how good he is. Millsap is not a 4x All Star for nothing. He averaged a career-high 18.1 points per game last year (and was fairly efficient while doing it), and was a force for the Atlanta Hawks come playoff time. That experience will immensely assist this young Nuggets core. Not to mention, he will be a great locker room guy for the younger players to look up to and will fit perfectly in this environment. Millsap and the Nuggets are a match made in heaven, in my opinion.
Tom: A+
I’m not going to bother holding back because Millsap is a little older than he would be in a dream world… let’s just give this deal an A+.
As Mathew wrote, Millsap isn’t an All-Star for nothing. He does so many things so well, from posting up, spacing the floor and keeping the ball moving to his elite defense. It’s the latter skill set which is exactly what the Nuggets need. They ranked 29th in defensive rating last season and desperately needed help in all areas and a player who can make up for some of Nikola Jokic’s slow-footed weaknesses. Millsap can do that with his versatility to switch across positions, rebounding and always-reliable positioning.
He has a skilful, non ball dominant offensive game that’s a perfect fit next to Jokic. He has the exact kind of defensive package that the Nuggets have needed from their power forward (or any player for that matter). Seeing as this short deal with a team option gives the team more future salary cap flexibility than anyone expected as well, this deal was brilliant.
Kostas: Grade A
First of all, Paul Millsap, if he had opted into earning a max deal with Atlanta (if they offered it), could have earned $205 million for the next five years. If he had decided to move his talents to Minnesota or Phoenix, he could have received $158 million in a four-year deal.
Instead, he decided to sign with Denver, earning significantly less than what he might deserve. This deal, of course, is a bargain for the Nuggets. It’s a big win. What’s more, the team option on the third year gives the Nuggets far more flexibility to part with his salary moving forward when they need to pay the likes of Gary Harris and Jokic then if Millsap received a four-year max.
In short, the Millsap deal is a huge win for Tim Connelly. The team finally gets a superstar while, at the same time, acquiring financial flexibility for the long term. I believe it’s an excellent acquisition and I look forward to seeing the team on the court.
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Sean: Grade B+
The Paul Millsap deal looks great on paper for Denver. It’s team friendly for the future and limits the risk of locking into an expensive, long term deal. My only qualm with the deal is that with the way the NBA is changing, having your two best players being big men is very risky. Small ball is taking over the NBA, and the Nuggets are going to be forced to close out games with both Millsap and Jokic on the court, or bench one of their best players.
Blake: A+
Honestly, this deal is an A+ for the Nuggets for several reasons. It gives them a star, something that they have been longing for since the Carmelo days. While it was for $30 million a year, Millsap took a team-friendly deal to play for Denver, as the third year is a team option.
Next: Nuggets fans should be optimistic now
Finally, after several stars were taken in trades or off of the free agency market, the Nuggets still managed to make a splash, and took the extra step into a possible playoff spot.