Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA Free Agency: Options for Paul Millsap after Atlanta Hawks’ comments

By Maxwell Ogden

Apr 24, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) signs autographs before a game against the Washington Wizards in game four of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 24, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) signs autographs before a game against the Washington Wizards in game four of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 7
Next
Mar 26, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson coaches against the Atlanta Hawks in the third quarter at Philips Arena. The Nets defeated the Hawks 107-92. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 26, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson coaches against the Atlanta Hawks in the third quarter at Philips Arena. The Nets defeated the Hawks 107-92. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

Honorable Mention: Brooklyn Nets

This may be a surprising inclusion, but Paul Millsap has ties to Kenny Atkinson and the Brooklyn Nets are flush with cap space. Even if it were to opt against renouncing its cap holds, Brooklyn would have upwards of $22 million in cap space entering free agency.

If the Nets renounce the cap hold for Randy Foye ($3,000,000) and decline the team option for K.J. McDaniels ($3,476,873), then signing Millsap could be significant progress.

Brooklyn already has an All-Star big man in Brook Lopez, who continues to diversify his offensive game. Millsap and Lopez aren’t guaranteed to work well together, but both embody the versatility of the modern NBA big man.

The two could either work in harmony down low, or the Nets could conceivably move Lopez for a perimeter talent—both plausible scenarios.

The reason to believe this is an option is that Atkinson played an instrumental role in player development for the Atlanta Hawks before he took over as head coach of the Nets. Thus, he and Millsap already have a healthy working relationship.

Unfortunately, cap space is about all that the Nets have beyond Lopez and young players, and that makes for an unideal environment for a veteran like Millsap.

Home/Atlanta Hawks