6:34pm: Atlanta will consider offers for not only Millsap, but other impending free agent as well, notably Kyle Korver and Thabo Sefolosha, Stein writes along with Brian Windhorst in a full story. The Hawks are fearful of losing these players for no compensation like they did with Horford last offseason.
Some teams have told ESPN that a trade is unlikely because the Hawks are asking too much for Millsap, but the authors note that Atlanta got close to dealing him to the Nuggets over the summer.
5:34pm: The Hawks have started gauging interest in All-Star forward Paul Millsap, tweets ESPN’s Marc Stein.
The 31-year-old, who is in his fourth season with Atlanta, can opt out of his $21,472,407 deal for next season and become a free agent. He has already made the decision to follow that course, according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes. (Twitter link).
Millsap is coming off three straight All-Star seasons and is putting up similar numbers so far this year. He is averaging 17.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per night while shooting 44% from the floor.
The Raptors are a team that has previously shown interest in Millsap, notes Josh Lewenburg of TSN Sports (Twitter link). They will probably be among the suitors this time around, especially in light of injuries to Jared Sullinger and Patrick Patterson. Lewenburg adds that Toronto was told last February that Millsap wasn’t available (Twitter link). He also points out that Atlanta was “listening to offers” last season for Al Horford, who was in a similar position, but no one was willing to meet the asking price (Twitter link). Horford wound up staying with the team through the end of the season and signing with the Celtics.
Teams interested in adding Millsap will have to be prepared to give up a substantial amount to match his salary, which is a little more than $20MM, this season.
Please Boston!
Why? It still doesn’t make them better than Cleveland so why give up the assets for a player you are going to have four 1/2 a season
For*
If they can resign him it’d be huge. Plus they can compete with Cleveland with the current team as it is, so it would make it interesting.
You do realize that would basically make them the Atlanta Hawks right? I mean, yeah, there are some differences, but it’s marginally better at best, and while that was a very good team, they aren’t beating Cleveland, and they might not beat the Raptors. So what’s the point of that?
They compete with Cleveland? They just lost to Cleveland with Kyrie Irving sitting out and JR out with a thumb injury. If you call 2 out of the 5 starters being out and you still lose competition the I guess your right.
I see your point.
I know Sefolosha and Anthony recently got into it but the Knicks could really use him.