Denver Nuggets: Pros and cons of keeping Paul Millsap

Cons

His experience is a plus, but it comes as a negative when you look at his age. He’ll turn 35 next February, and he doesn’t have a game that’s particularly suited to aging as he’s never been an elite shooter that spaces the floor. He’s also been prone to injuries throughout his career, and his injury risk only grows as he gets older.

His contract situation could pose big issues. He’s not worth $30 million, but he could believe he’s worth that much. If Denver declines that option to renegotiate a long-term deal, that could work. However, he could choose to leave on the open market, where the Nuggets ultimately wouldn’t get anything back for him. It’s a tough negotiation for both sides.

Keeping Millsap holds back the young guys. Michael Porter Jr., Torrey Craig and Juancho Hernangomez can all play the 4 in certain lineups. They’re all younger guys. They may not have the experience that Millsap does, but they have the upside to develop with more minutes. If they don’t get the playing time to do so, they won’t get better. This team is building toward regular contention, so the youth needs to serve as the building blocks.