Paul Millsap’s time with the Denver Nuggets could be reaching its end.
The Denver Nuggets had a successful season, finishing three wins shy of reaching the 2020 NBA Finals and will use the offseason to make the next step towards championship glory. This will result in many roster decisions, with the main question surrounding whether the team should re-sign Paul Millsap.
While the veteran forward was once an All-Star quality talent, Millsap finds his numbers and his play declining with the veteran averaging 11.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game during the regular season. Due to Millsap’s age and physical decline, at 35-years-old and 14 seasons under his belt, his play will likely only continue to decline.
Tim Connelly, the Nuggets president of basketball operations, has expressed interest in seeing re-signing the big man and seeing him retire in Denver. Millsap has also expressed interest in returning to the Nuggets, with the former All-Star believing he is still able to continue playing for at least a few more years during an interview with The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears:
"I feel great, my body feels unbelievable at this stage of my career. Sometimes I have to remind myself I’m 35, I don’t feel it."
While this indicates that the Nuggets could get another two or three years of contributions from Millsap if they decide to re-sign him, the team must also be mindful of the veteran’s value to the team financially. While Millsap no doubt brings veteran leadership, the big man believes he still has three years of earning power.
Denver needs to consider whether signing Millsap to another big contract is worth digging into their salary cap in a team full of young talent. While the team holds the Bird Rights to the veteran and can sign him for any amount, the best move may be to let him walk in order to improve their talent on the wing.
With that in mind, Millsap mentioned that he needs to think of what is best for him and his family in his free agency decision during his interview with Spears. Typically, this type of statement is a thinly-veiled allusion to seeing how much money a player can earn on the open market.
“At the end of the day, I love being here, but at the end of the day, it’s still a business,” Millsap stated when asked about his free-agency decision. “I got to make a decision based, you know, for myself and my family. And this is my family also.”
Bottom Line
Although the Nuggets will likely try to retain the services of Millsap, they shouldn’t overspend on a player who is declining and on the backend of their career. It would be more beneficial to re-sign Jerami Grant, who is rumored to be interested in returning to the team.
No matter what decision is made between Millsap and the club, both parties must look after themselves during the upcoming free agency, with money playing a major factor in the ultimate decision.