Timberwolves Free Agency: Patty Mills

If the Timberwolves end up shopping for a new point guard this summer, there’s a former San Antonio Spur who might be a solid option.

It’s no secret that the Minnesota Timberwolves are going to be adding to their roster this off-season. Should the Timberwolves be looking for a new point guard, as they were rumored to be looking at off-loading Ricky Rubio earlier in the season, Patty Mills may be a good fit.

Patty Mills started his NBA career with Portland before playing the last five seasons with the San Antonio Spurs. At the conclusion of the Spurs’ playoff run this year, however, Mills will become an unrestricted free agent.

The Australian guard has been a stable contributor off the bench for the Spurs, hitting three-pointers at a high percentage (41.3 in 2016-17, 39.5 percent for his career).

The Timberwolves are in need of three-point scorers, and Mills has never been offered an overly large contract. He is making $3.5 million as a bench piece in San Antonio this season, and with the cap space the Wolves have, they could offer him substantially more.

Perhaps Mills’ most impressive performances came during the 2016 Olympics in Rio, in which he represented the Australian Boomers.

Unless you are Australian, like myself, you may not have paid too much attention to the Boomers. However, the guard combination of Mills and Matthew Dellavedova brought Australia to the quarterfinals.

Mills proved throughout the Olympic campaign that he was capable of leading a team. If the Timberwolves were to decide to part with Ricky Rubio in the off-season, Mills may be a viable option to replace him as the starting point guard.

Even if they decide to keep Rubio, the Wolves may also look at strengthening the bench with another guard, which would open a spot for Mills.

Additionally, Patty Mills, at 28 years old, would add a veteran presence similar to what Rubio provides. However, with his experience of playing in different team’s systems, he may be able to adapt to Thibodeau’s style of play easier.

Mills could provide the Timberwolves with some scoring from the point guard position in addition to three-point field goal consistency. A team with Mills and LaVine shooting from three-point range and Towns and Wiggins inside the paint would be a nightmare to guard as any player could score points from a variety of different spots on the floor.

Mills has appeared in the playoffs every season since entering the NBA, including winning a championship in 2014 with the Spurs. The Timberwolves are looking to break their playoff drought next season, and they indeed may be poised to do that. However, if the Timberwolves want to make an impact in the playoffs, it would be helpful to have somebody that’s used to playoff competition to provide insight and experience.

Next: What If The Timberwolves Had Drafted Stephen Curry?

I like Rubio as the Timberwolves’ starting point guard, but should he not fit the plan for the future, Mills may be a viable option. Patty Mills could be exactly what the Timberwolves are looking for as they moving forward into a future of playoff contention.