Free agency has begun and we are already seeing some bizarre things.
Roy Hibbert got a max contract offer sheet from Portland, the Raptors brought in Wayne Gretzky to recruit Steve Nash (bizarre, but genius) and the Nets and Gerald Wallace pulled a Richard Jefferson by agreeing to a four year, $40 million deal after Wallace opted out of the last year of a very nice contract.
That has not gone unnoticed by other players around the league.
Paul Millsap, who probably should have been an All-Star last season and is a better player than Wallace, is looking for a raise. The Salt Lake Tribune reports the Jazz power forward is using Wallace’s contract as a primer for what he wants his new deal to look like.
“Jazz forward Paul Millsap is expected to seek a new contract worth as much or more than the four-year, $40 million deal Wallace has reportedly agreed to. Utah General Manager Kevin O’Connor declined comment earlier this week when asked how the Jazz plan to handle Millsap’s desire for an extension.”
Millsap is currently in the final of year of a deal that will pay him $8.6 million. He is 27 and his last two season have been his best. The Jazz surprised everyone by making the playoffs last season and Millsap was their best or second best player. Signing him to an extension is a no-brainer, right?
It would be except the Jazz have two young big men they need to find minutes for. Derrick Favors will be entering his third year and Enes Kanter his second. Favors especially showed real growth towards the end of last season. Is the potential of Favors and Kanter enough to either move Millsap or just let him hit the open market next summer? Utah does have need for wing players.
Trading Millsap would either get them the cap space to sign a wing who can shoot or they could just trade him for a shooter straight up.
