Denver Nuggets: Which team would Paul Millsap help more?

It’s looking like Paul Millsap won’t be returning to the Denver Nuggets this offseason. After not hearing anything about a potential new contract and the team bringing in Jeff Green to play a similar role, the veteran forward has turned his attention elsewhere.

The Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors are interested in signing Millsap according to Mike Singer, The Denver Post. Both teams are competing for a title next season and can only offer Millsap the veteran’s minimum.

The report adds that Millsap is hoping to play for a championship contender. In his 15-year career, Millsap has not made it to the NBA Finals, only Eastern and Western Conference Finals.

This past season, Millsap averaged 8.9 points and 4.7 in 56 games (36 starts). He saw his role drop significantly entering his age-36 season and losing his starting position to Aaron Gordon after a mid-season deal with the Orlando Magic.

It’s an unfortunate ending to Millsap’s Denver tenure after four seasons with the team. He initially signed before the 2017-18 season, hoping to grow with a young Denver Nuggets team.

Millsap was also an ideal frontcourt pairing for the burgeoning star in Nikola Jokic. Paul is a cerebral player on both ends of the court and his defensive flexibility helped cover for some of Jokic’s mistakes.

On offense, his shooting helped stretch out defenses, giving Jokic a bit more space to work in the post. Millsap’s also a great cutter and he was fed plenty of easy baskets from Jokic passes in his Denver time.

Denver Nuggets: What can Paul Millsap bring to his next team?

Millsap will bring defensive toughness, scheme versatility, and offensive consistency to his next destination, whether that be Golden State or Brooklyn.

As he said in a press conference just before the start of the 2021 playoffs, he knows his role, and is happy doing whatever it takes to win:

"“You need me to come off the bench? I’ll come off the bench. You need me to play point guard? I’ll play point guard. Whatever. I’ll do that. That’s always been my attitude. I’m always about winning first before my own ego.”"

While Millsap mostly plays at power forward, he saw additional time playing as the sole big man defender for the Nuggets this past season. It might be a trend that continues if Millsap signs with either of the two rumoured teams.

Both Brooklyn and the Warriors have found success playing smaller in the past and both teams have the personnel to cover for his lack of rim protection if needed. The Nets used Kevin Durant as a help defender when Blake Griffin played the five and the Warriors have former Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green who can plug plenty of holes on the defensive end.

Denver Nuggets: Where should Paul Millsap sign?

The fact that Millsap has narrowed down his search to these two teams means that he isn’t concerned about his salary next season. If he is prioritizing winning, he’d be better off signing with the Nets.

Brooklyn lost in the Eastern Conference Second Round to the Milwaukee Bucks, but it was without Kyrie Irving and James Harden for huge chunks of the series. The Bucks went on to win a ring, but who knows what the series looks like if Brooklyn is fully healthy.

Adding Millsap would only help their title chase as he might even close games for them, playing as a small ball five.

If Millsap wants to prioritize playing time, while still hoping to make a Finals push, he should choose the Golden State Warriors. The Dubs will be bringing Klay Thompson back into the fold while also integrating two rookies and several new free agents.

Adding Otto Porter, Nemanja Bjelica, and Andre Iguodala will definitely lead to a busy frontcourt rotation, but there’s reason to believe that Millsap can come out on top of that group. Additionally, James Wiseman is recovering from meniscus surgery and Kevon Looney is always an injury risk, Millsap could start at the five.

Wherever he goes, it’s safe to assume that Denver Nuggets fans will be rooting for the Colorado native. He signed with the team before they even made the playoffs and when the young core was still unproven.

Millsap brought a sense of professionalism to the team and it signalled to the rest of the league that the Denver Nuggets are a serious destination.