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The Millsap Dilemma
Posted by: Diana on June 20th, 2012
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.There were trade rumors yesterday of a Jazz making a deal with the Hornets for the #10 pick. The trade rumor was this:
And yes, I have heard the Milsap/Burks/47 for Ariza and #10 rumor and I LOVE IT! Or, swap Hayward for Milsap #EitherOr
hornets247.com @hornets247First: the Jazz never leak their deals and I imagine they stress that strongly to whatever team they are talking to about a deal.
Secondly: the Jazz get fleeced in that deal, taken to the cleaners, wow. Why on earth would the Jazz give up a proven player in Millsap, a young talent in Burks and a 2nd rounder for an unproven commodity in the 10th pick in the draft and a mediocre player like Ariza.
Chad Ford also mentioned in his chat yesterday that Millsap is one of the names being thrown around for the 10th or 11th pick in the draft.
How much is Millsap worth to you? Would you be willing to give him up just for a 1oth or 11th pick?
Millsap represents everything that is right with the Jazz. He has proven himself over and over again in the NBA. Millsap works hard and every year has improved a different aspect of his game.
The Jazz do have to decide if they feel they can keep Millsap when his contract is up next season. Will a different team throw an offer at him that Millsap can’t refuse, does Millsap even feel loyalty to the Jazz to offer that hometown discount or is it strictly business?
Does Millsap even want to reconsider resigning with the Jazz knowing that Favors is the future? Millsap has stated he is a starter and does not want to come off of the bench. If Millsap’s best role with the team is coming off the bench and doesn’t want to, does that change on whether we trade him or not?
Our questions about Millsap will be answered in the next year. But for now let the rumors fly!
It will be an interesting off-season or it will be a boring one, you never can tell with the Jazz .
Replies: 31
Views: 3014
31 Responses
So Ariza just traded to Washington so yeah rumors are rumors lol
I would prefer to trade Al to open up playing time for Favors and Kanter and Evans while bringing back a great perimeter wing player who would better complement those mentioned as well as Millsap. Go young, go up tempo, be great in 2-3 years.
I agree so much with your comment, so so much. I would much rather keep Millsap. He is quick and compliments the younger pieces we could be an awesome up tempo team.
Good post again Diana.. There is always a rumor about Sap because there are so many teams that would love to have him. IMHO I think Sap will resign with the Jazz and accept whatever roll he is asked to do.. These rumors that are a fleece as you put it are crazy. Let’s at least get in the ball park.. But now that a trade has been made let’s watch the fun.
I agree with KC and LK, I would rather see Big Al on the trading block than Millsap and would like to see Millsap re-sign here after next year. The one caveat with trading Big Al is I’d like to see a player brought in that can fill the scoring void that would be created by losing Big Al’s offensive production. I don’t want to trade Big Al for a long term development project.
Thanks LK. Your right so many teams would want millsap because his contract is a great deal and he just adds so much to the team without the drama. I hope he resigns he is one player that I would have a really hard time seeing go.
Shane- you are right we would need to find another scorer to replace Al. Seems like if he had an off game a lot of the time the Jazz had a hard time scoring. I know our young guys can win without him I think were were 4-1. But we still need more scoring if we traded him.
@Shane: I think Favors can start doing that scoring right away. A trade for AL should at least bring in a draft choice with a quality player. KOC will not give him away.
Take burks out of the equation and I would have agreed to that deal. Burks would have killed it for me though. If we are gonna dump a young guy we should keep Millsap. To me Millsap is worth a pick in the 7-15 range and a Good not great player that can be a starter on a playoff team. Ariza is perfect for that. I feel like Sap should be in the same caliber as Josh Smith and Andre Iguodala. Maybe a little worse than those two but the same tier of player. But I dont think he has the trade value of those two because of less exposure.
Washington scored on that deal. A team of Wall, Crawford, Ariza, Okafor/Blatche, and Nene is pretty good. They are deep too. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them sneak into the 6,7,or 8 spot if they can play as a team. If they could add Beal in the draft or draft Thomas Robinson and drop Blatche they will be solid very soon. Kudos to Ernie Grunfield on a nice rebuild project.
If we put Millsap on the trading block we don’t deserve to have him on our team anymore.
I cant believe Millsap came up in a potential trade before Al?? Im guessing Burks was the deal breaker; good job KOC. I think I would rather let Al, Millsap, Harris walk at seasons end than lose any of the Core Four.
We need to realize also we do not know what is going on behind closed doors. Millsap could have told management he will not come off the bench and if that is the case he needs to be gone. If we does not see that Favors/Kanter are the future and that is sooner rather then later then unfortunately he needs to be gone. He is not a starter on a championship team that is just a reality we all need to realize
True Dallan. I hope Evans doing the Jazz tour is an indicator that Evans will be resigned. If your right Dallan, it will suck losing Millsap cuz he did not realize that it is the youth moment’s team. Part of the reason flipping Millsap for picks and other players is not all bad is that Evans will FINALLY be part of the rotation!
Evans + some weight! = Ibaka.
Dallon, if Kanter and Favors cannot beat out Favors and Sap then your wrong. You put your best on the floor against the other teams best. Eventually that will change, but probably not next yr.
Paul Millsap was drafted by the Jazz. He has every year improved and proven the critics wrong. In my opinion, on a different team, under different circumstances, his stats would be a little larger. There would be no talk about the Boozers, or the Jeffersons, who came to replace Boozer, or the next supposed best thing Kanter and Favors. This blue collar player, who busts his tail and does whats asked, quietly even though he may not like it, deserves so much more. And yet here is another post talking about our dilemma? Sap is the best value for his pay in the league barring rookies..
Sap 16 ppg, 8.8 rebs, 2.3 ast, 1.6 st, .8 blks, in 32 min
.495% fg, .226 3pt, and made 6.7 mil last season.
Boozer 17 ppg, 9.9 rebs, 2.2 ast, 1 st, .4 blks, in 29 min
.532% fg, 0.00 3pt and made 13.5 mil last season.
Gasol 17 ppg, 10 rebs, 3.7 ast, .6 st, 1.4 blks, in 37 min
.501% fg, .201 3pt and made 18.7 mil last season
Aldridge 21 ppg, 8 rebs, 2.4 ast, .9 st, .8 blks, in 36 min
.51% fg, .18 3pt and made 11.8 mil last yr.
Is he as good as these other players, maybe his stats would rival even theirs if he had not another player making plays in the paint? Who can say for sure. But you can say one thing, for what he brings, at his cost, you cannot beat him? Maybe for Davis in this draft.
So here is your problem, Sap is worth keeping. But he is also your best expendable asset also. You can extend and trade his contract, unlike the others. He has value, and wont demand what others do in a contract. But to say he is a 7th to 15th draft equal is just nuts.
Not one player between 7 and 15 will replace what you loose when he is gone for several yrs if ever. Paul is in his prime and still improving.. Can you say that the kids in the draft dont turn out like miles with slipping stats every season until we let his contract fade into the dust? Sap is Proven, and unless the return is possibly way better than the cost, you dont take the chance. You dont trade him for a possible equal, you trade him for a probable better. Davis, Barnes, and MKG maybe.
I say unless the right deal comes by, you extend his contract and keep him. Send the other players packing and for whatever you can get. They have one yr left and we probably wont resign Bell, Harris, or AL. Lets not let them slip away for nothing. Send them out while they are worth something. Free up some cap space and let us bring in some other good cheap help. Elsan or Brooks anyone?
He can be so much more if he is used, rather than everything going though Al. You decide.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwUK9nADL94
We would be lucky to get a 7 to 15 and a Starter for Paul. Would you really not have done a 10/Ariza deal for him? If so that is nuts. He wont resign here. Go ahead and say whatever but it would be a very bad career decision for a 26 year old borderline all star to take a paycut to resign with a non-contender team that will put him as a backup. I just dont see it. As for loyalty… “It’s [the] team that drafted me. I’d love to finish my career here. But if it don’t work out, so be it,”- Paul Millsap.
I am sure he does feel a sense of loyalty to the franchise. But that quote kind of rubs me the wrong way. I love and respect him as a player but after reading that I dont see any reason to keep him past the deadline unless he will resign for at most the 6 and change that he made this year. We dont have the flexibility to match the offers he will get in Free agency. How can he pass down an offer from the Cavs(or anyone else) to make between 9-12 million dollars a year and start? We cant give him that same offer. If we did I am sure he would come back because I do think he is a loyal guy. But he isnt stupid either. He will go for money and stardom. Put yourself in his shoes. We would all do the same.
JRN, a potential bust and Trevor Ariza for Paul Millsap is a sh*tty trade. Like, retarded sh*tty.
Millsap improves every year. Idiots like you will be sorry if we lose him and he kills us every time we play against him.
Its nothing to do with Millsaps talent and heart and everything to do with Front court pieces. We are wasting the #3 pick from last year , Kanter needs minutes. Favors has earned it. Al is solid but disrupts ball movement. And Millsap needs a position adjustment to help the team. Only saviour here would be if coaches wanted Millsap to play the SF #3 position full time and backup PF. We also need to fill the backup PF with a Bonner/Battier type player that can shoot 3’s and spread the defense. Millsap is close, he can hit a 3 but not as consistent. If I were coach I would make that his mission and give him the shot to fill that need if he can do it. But I havent seen much confidence from Ty using Sap at #SF. He doesnt play Evans either which bugs me. We should be using every player on the roster for a role. If coaches dont like Evans energy role then we need to fill it with a shooter or defender.
The #10 this year is more like a #5 or #6 in a normal years draft. It is definitely worth making a jump to get the talent. We also know what to get now with other future pieces in place. These guys have done their homework and KOC isnt going to get desperate or give too much. We will come out ahead in most scenerios with a pick in the top ten this year.
If they got the #10 , it might not be used on a player at that spot immediately but maybe a trade for a lower pick that has the player we want and a 1st round next year. Some really good talent like Tony Wroten and Doron Lamb are getting dropped to lower spots this year that would be a possible lottery picks next year. If we landed potetially 2 1st rounders and more flexiblilty on our cap, then yeah thats worth it. Not only do we fill the positions needed, we get better financially, and turn a 47th pick Millsap that is starting to get log jammed in the post for minutes into 2 first rounders. Thats good management.
Oh Nicki usually do not agree with JRN but I do here. Most trades are made off of this guy has potential and is guy is a Vet. We made the d-will trade for potential. Come on now
I would hate to see Paul leave by trade, but if he is given away for poo, then your nuts. Thats why I am happy KOC is working the trades, he wont take poo for him.
Logjam. Lets see if Al is gone, as we all feel he will be by next yr, then where’s the logjam. Paul can play the 3 or the 4. Usually you want 3 strong players who can move back and forth between the front court. I see lineups of Paul and Favors, Paul and Kanter, Favors and Kanter, and Paul, Favors, and Kanter. If you send both Sap and Al away, then you lose that. Replace him with whom?
Paul signing an extention for 8 to 10 mil is well worth it for 3 yrs. Just my take. But trading him is not out of the question if the right pieces come along. 7 – 14 draft pick, is not the right piece. If you could get two in that range, you may have to consider it as long as one was close to the 7th pick, but I dont see that happening, and would hate seeing him playing for portland. But a straight up Sap for Lillard and Henson or several other combinations would have to be considered. Shed Al and pull in Elsan, hmmmm. No, I want Sap… LOL
Dallan, you usually have some good insight and things to say about the Jazz, but I’m going to have to go with Patrick on this one. He was posting some good trades and free agent signing in some other threads.
Millsap is proven and you don’t just let that go. Also, you don’t let any of the Core 4 unless you are getting a piece to replace them. Even still the Jazz would need to think more than twice about a deal for the those guys.
I do get what you are saying in that Millsap will be on the bench and if he is unwilling to accept that role, we don’t want don’t want to be left empty handed from him just leaving.
Al needs to be moved first. He has value and GOOD pieces can be got for him. You are right that Favors and Kanter need playing time. Much, much, much more than what they were getting last season.
Nick if you are going to view a draft pick as a potential bust then we can view players as potential injuries. A potential bust and a potentially injured player for a potentially injured player. I take the bust and injury because there is better odds of having one play.
Absolutely spot on Patrick. A frontcourt of Favors, Millsap and Kanter will be absolutely ridiculous. The only downside to that is that Kanter is going to need 2 more years to develop into a starting 5. By the time the 2013-14 season starts, he’ll be ready. Might still be a little raw, but he’ll be ready.
So if we got rid of both Al and Millsap, we would have a front court of Favors, Kanter, Evans/or Igoudala?
What players do you people propose to fill the huge vacancy that Millsap and Jefferson would leave?
Draft picks?
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Last year Kevin was unable or unwilling to trade the expiring contracts of Howard or C J. It would have been nice to have a couple of draft picks, instead of free agents going to another team.
What will he do with Harris, Millsap and Big Al? Let’s hope he can get something in return other than an inflated contract, if resigned, or a free agent heading for another destination.
Would it be so bad to have the kids, with another years experience, and $29.7m in extra cap space to poach a star?
Draft picks are nice. They don’t draw salary, screw up your cap and frequently make or break a trade.
It might be a good time, before the trade deadline, to trade our high priced vets for draft picks and quality, young players.
Economics should play a greater role this year, with the new CBA starting to kick in.
Let’s hope that Kevin doesn’t get in a salary bind, like he did with AK, Booz, Memo and De-Ron.
Jazzaholic
its too bad the hornets already dealt ariza and okafor.. i had mentioned on another post, swapping millsap, harris and a future pick for #10 and okafor.
honestly tho… the jazz want Lilliard and he won’t make it to 10 in my opinion. i honestly believe the blazers take lilliard at 6… so that would mean moving up top 5 to get him. do we have the assets to make a deal? absolutely.. is it worth it tho is the question
I’m sure Kevin will keep the dialog up with teams showing any interest. If anything gets done, it will probably be a last minute thing, where the other team stops asking for the moon and the stars and settles for the moon, and a draft pick, of course.
Jazzaholic
I believe we can trust KOC to only consider deals that really benefit the team in the long term (that’s pretty rare these days, that a manager has the luxury to plan long-term…).
Ariza vs. Millsap and Burks was ridiculous – this draft pool is good, but not that good. Any draft pick is a risk.
I rather expect KOC to look around in the free agent market and some veteran leadership/quality in the 1-3 positions.
The #10 draft pick is definitely not worth Millsap, let alone Millsap, Burks, and the #47 pick. I would argue that Millsap could be worth the #8 pick, but I’m not certain yet that Millsap is the one worth trading to get that higher pick. I think it would have to be between Millsap, Jefferson, Kanter, and Harris. Harris, Millsap, and Jefferson are all entering the last year of their contract agreements. Harris would probably enjoy staying with a team perennially expected to make the playoffs, but I think Utah fans would rather see him in a supporting role.
Defensively, one has to consider which combination Utah is better off with out of their bigs down low: Jefferson and Favors, or Favors and Millsap? Kanter could be a big worth sacrificing, but not sure he would get Utah up to the #8 pick. Might have to combine Kanter with Harris or Burks, but that #8 pick would have to be a sharp shooting guard or PG with penetration and distribution skills.
Out of the numbers I looked at considering the top draft picks, I like Tony Wroten, Marquis Teague, Tyshawn Taylor, Jeffery Taylor, Terrence Ross, Austin Rivers, Kevin Murphy, Kendall Marshall, Scott Machado, Damian Lillard, Jeremy Lamb, Doron Lamb, Darius Johnson-Odom, Orlando Johnson, John Jenkins, Robbie Hummel, Draymond Green, Kim English, Marcus Denmon, Jae Crowder, William Buford, Bradley Beal, Will Barton, and Larry Anderson.
Plenty of good talent out there, I’m probably missing a lot, but all of those I listed above have good 3P shooting, particularly, John Jenkins and Marcus Denmon. I really hope Utah goes for a PG who can shoot threes, or at least a good shooting guard with good perimeter game and plenty of upside.
On second thought, Favors and Millsap would be a better fit for the long run. If Utah doesn’t or can’t use Jefferson to get a high pick for a super PG like Lillard or Marshall, maybe Utah can still trade a Kanter for an Orlando Johnson or John Jenkins.
Oh no, Kanter is “untouchable”. He wasn’t there yet last year, but at times he was banging the boards so hard – it was delightful. And he is, what, 20 now?
I don’t see much need for change – except on the free agent side of things. I’ll happily give our young stars another season to grow. Heck, Seattle/OKC needed 5 years and they had incredible luck on the draft for like … 3 years in a row (Durant, Westbrook, Harden)?
I love the idea that we swaps Burks on a rookie contract for Trevor Ariza and somehow WE have to add an extra pick as a sweetener. Obviously moot now, but wow.