Timberwolves Free Agency: Atlanta Hawks Edition
By Ben Beecken
Paul Millsap
After languishing in virtual obscurity in Salt Lake City for his first seven NBA seasons as a second-round selection in the 2006 draft, Millsap has been named to four consecutive all-star teams as a member of the Atlanta Hawks. Now 32 years old, he hits unrestricted free agency once again.
Millsap is a do-it-all power forward — exactly the type of player that you would want for the second-best player on a contending team. In Atlanta, however, he’s been the team’s best player throughout his tenure with the Hawks. The fit next to Karl-Anthony Towns in Minnesota, however, would be nearly perfect.
Millsap can score down low and stretch the floor, adding the three-ball to his game during his time in Atlanta and shooting 33.5 precent from beyond the arc over the past four seasons. He’s a good rebounder and defender, despite standing just 6′-8″.
He fills the box score, racking up steals, blocks, and assists while rarely turning the ball over. In fact, 2016-17 was Millsap’s first year year with a steal rate of less than two percent since 2009-10.
It is clear that Millsap is starting to slow down just a bit; his 69 games played in 2016-17 was his fewest in five years, and his rebounding, block, and steal numbers ticked down a tad. On the other hand, he averaged a career-high 18.1 points per game, due in part to the Hawks poor offense and the difficulties they had scoring the ball.
Millsap will be expensive, as this is the last big contract that he’ll be looking to land. But the fit between Towns and Andrew Wiggins would be outstanding, and he would be able to be the perfect veteran leader who can still play at an All-Star level and help Towns elevate Minnesota to the playoffs for the first time in 14 years.
Next: Timberwolves Free Agency: Andrew Bogut a fit?
Verdict: Millsap will have plenty of suitors, so Minnesota would likely have to overpay to land the big man. However, the fit should be tantalizing enough to Tom Thibodeau that he should strongly consider doing what he has to do to bring the former Hawk on board.