As the 2019-20 NBA season gets set to resume in Orlando, there are quite a few fans and media members who have already started looking ahead to the upcoming offseason. Among those teams are the Brooklyn Nets, who will be without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving for the restart. Could Paul Millsap end up joining the team this offseason to form a “big three” with those two stars?
Millsap is set to hit the open free agency market this offseason. He has had a very successful tenure with the Denver Nuggets and could end up sticking around longer with them. However, if a team like the Nets comes calling, Millsap would have to seriously consider his options.
Throughout this season prior to the suspension of play, Millsap was having another solid all-around season. He averaged 12.0 points per game to go along with 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Millsap shot 48.6 percent from the floor and 44 percent from the three-point line.
Bleacher Report recently listed Millsap and the Nets as a potential offseason pairing. Their logic for the move makes a lot of sense.
Still a good defender at his age, Millsap will soon make his 11th career trip to the playoffs in 14 seasons. He’s been a well-respected member of every team he’s been on and would set a strong leadership tone in Brooklyn.
The Nets could also use Millsap as a small-ball 5 in spurts, allowing for ultimate floor spacing around Irving’s and Durant’s driving lanes.
The Nets are certainly going to be a team to keep an eye on this offseason. Quite a few players will be interested in joining them to play alongside Irving and Durant. Brooklyn can offer players a great chance to compete for an NBA Finals appearance.
At 35 years of age, Millsap’s opportunity to win a ring is starting to get less and less likely. Leaving the Nuggets would not be an easy decision, but joining the Nets would give him a great chance to play a big role for a team he can compete with.
Granted, no one knows what version of Durant the Nets are going to get. He has not played in a game since tearing his Achilles while playing for the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. But, he is still Kevin Durant and is one of the top superstars in the world.
Millsap would fit perfectly alongside both Irving and Durant. He doesn’t have to have the ball in his hands and has become a great supporting piece in Denver. That is exactly what the Nets need to go out and find this offseason.
Expect to hear plenty of rumors surrounding the Nets this offseason. Paul Millsap may not end up being a target for them, but it would make a lot of sense for both sides to explore this.
