Washington Wizards: 5 players the Wizards need to target in free agency

Number 4: Paul Millsap

Depending on how the Denver Nuggets finish out the postseason Paul Millsap’s availability could change dramatically. If the Nuggets win the NBA championship, Millsap may decide to retire. If they come close but fall just short of winning the title or reaching the finals, a man who has made many lifetime’s worths of money may decide to return to Denver on a discount for some unfinished business. The most likely outcome is that Milsap will explore the open market and see what the highest bidder has to offer.

The Wizards, if Millsap is open to relocation, should be aggressive to bring the veteran into the fold. As noted before, the Wizards played All-Star game level defense last season and Millsap is a versatile and accomplished defender.

His offensive game is now very much complimentary but that has led to a career-best true shooting percentage (59.1 percent) in his 14th NBA season. Millsap simply makes his teams better when he’s on the court. Over his entire career, he has never finished a season with a negative on-court rating.

Millsap, on defense, is no longer the game wrecker he was early in his career, he can still hold his own in bursts and more importantly, he can hold a young Wizards team accountable. Veteran leadership is usually overstated but the Wizards desperately need a respected voice from a player that actually shows interest in defending. As great as John Wall and Bradley Beal have been in their careers, their effort on the defensive end has waned in recent seasons. Paul Millsap is up there in age and won’t be cheap but he’ll make the Wizards better regardless if he’s on the court or not.