Woj: Hawks Actively Discussing Millsap Trade With Several Teams

[jdz101]

Mislap is nice but he is no superstar, or even all-star anymore. Teams I'm sure are interested to get him for cheap considering the Hawks are looking to get something before he leaves in a few months, but there are no teams looking to give up serious assets for a 31 year old, non all-star on an expiring deal. It's like when a shop advertises that they have a sale on something decent. People run to it and get in line, but if they see the price is not an absolute sale, but regular price, they walk away.

Then that TV sits there for a month till the deadline and the shop has to lower the price to get the sale done or else lose everything.

[Diggles]

http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=hv26kl6

Scary.....Toronto plays their rookie center more and relies on those starters... trouble!

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Seriously, I don't get why people think that Ross is what the Hawks would want.

He is Nick Young. He's not really even a starter. He's not consistent on either end of the court.

If the Raptors offered two of Poeltl, Noguiera (back to the Hawks), and Caboclo, then it gets interesting. Patterson can take some of Milsap's minutes in Atlanta. Atlanta needs a backup point guard too, which is why Joseph makes more sense.

[saltlover]

Seriously, I don't get why people think that Ross is what the Hawks would want.

He is Nick Young. He's not really even a starter. He's not consistent on either end of the court.

If the Raptors offered two of Poeltl, Noguiera (back to the Hawks), and Caboclo, then it gets interesting. Patterson can take some of Milsap's minutes in Atlanta. Atlanta needs a backup point guard too, which is why Joseph makes more sense.

Patterson is terrible.  For salary purposes he's fine, but for basketball he is not.  As for Ross, he's really got it going this year from deep -- it could be a fluke, but at 25, it's not unheard of that he would have improved.  But I don't see Ross as being a centerpiece to any deal.

[Kuberski33]

So that's the Kings, Raptors, and Nuggets who've been reported tonight alone as having interest in Millsap. Again, Atlanta's going to fetch a pretty penny for him. Anyone thinking they're going to have to sell low on him because he's going to be expiring is going to be surprised. The market determines the price and there's clearly a huge one for him.

If you're going to only have this guy for 5 months how's that going to command a lot of assets?  He makes sense for Toronto - maybe Sacramento so they can make the playoffs and go out in 4 straight to Golden State.  Then he opts out and becomes a UFA.  This is the reason he's on the market to start with, right?

What? I explained exactly how he's going to command a ton of assets. There's several teams that are going to be bidding for his services. They're going to have to out-do each other's offers somehow.

I seriously doubt it.  My guess is the Hawks are looking to move him and are trying to get the best offer they can so they're putting this out there.  With the new collective bargaining agreement coming in Millsap has a chance to hit the jackpot by opting out of his current deal this summer.  Of course there is a chance that he wants to stay with the team who acquires him (Toronto?) and maybe that gets worked out ahead of time but on the surface he's a rental.

Any GM who gives up assets only to see him become a UFA is going to get a ton of heat.

You realize I already acknowledged that he's going to be expiring, right?

It doesn't matter. Teams know that; they still want the guy. Just like a bunch of teams wanted an expiring Korver, but the Cavs were willing to outbid the rest of them by offering a first rounder. Millsap's an actual difference maker; Atlanta is going to get a nice haul for a guy who's going to be a free agent because of how good he is and how in-demand he'll be.

I have no idea what you're arguing here, honestly.

How do you know a bunch of teams wanted an expiring Korver?  I'm arguing that contrary to what you seem to think, Atlanta is not going to get much for Millsap.  It certainly won't be a bidding war. How many of those has the NBA had at the trade deadline in recent years?

No GM is dumb enough to give up significant assets for a 5 month rental who's not going to put them in a position to win a title.  The Hawks might get a project or an end of first round pick for him - that's about it.

Millsap doesn't move the needle this season for anyone - save for maybe Toronto.  And I don't think Ujiri gives up a lot for a team that's not going to the Finals unless LeBron or Irving goes down.  He's too good a GM. 

That doesn't leave the Hawks many 'desperate' bidders.

[Endless Paradise]

How do you know a bunch of teams wanted an expiring Korver?

Because reputable reporters quite literally just said tonight that several contenders were interested in Korver, but the Cavs' offer of a first-rounder pushed them over the top?

I'm arguing that contrary to what you seem to think, Atlanta is not going to get much for Millsap.  It certainly won't be a bidding war. How many of those has the NBA had at the trade deadline in recent years?

Goran Dragic (Miami, the Knicks, the Lakers, Indiana, Sacramento) and Reggie Jackson (Detroit, the Nets, Indiana) in 2015, to name just two.

The idea that there won't be a bidding war for a good player is ridiculous. That is not how the NBA works; good talent is *always* desirable and teams will pay for it. Not only are teams looking to improve, but trading for Millsap now gives them the inside track on re-signing him if they so choose in the offseason.

No GM is dumb enough to give up significant assets for a 5 month rental who's not going to put them in a position to win a title. The Hawks might get a project or an end of first round pick for him - that's about it.

So the Hawks got a late first rounder for Kyle Korver and I'm expected to buy that they "might" get the same return for a considerably better and more desirable player? Nope. I will gladly revisit this if and when the Hawks trade him.

That said, firstly, the fact that in 2015, Portland's GM traded Will Barton - same guy who was making waves for Sixth Man of the Year/Most Improved Player last year - and a first rounder for Arron Afflalo, who left at the end of the season, already disproves this theory. Clearly, some GM was "dumb enough" to trade significant assets for a rental when he felt it improved his team in the immediate term.

(Oh, and by the way - the Afflalo trade was the result of another bidding war, although on a much smaller scale; Sacramento most notably expressed interest in trading for him at the time).

Secondly, not every single team's goal is to win a championship immediately. Believe it or not, some markets simply want to see competitive teams. The Nuggets have awful fan support due to being a Broncos/Avalanche city and that problem has been compounded with the Nuggets having been bad since 2013. Simply making the playoffs would be a huge improvement for the team, especially if they parlay that into consistent playoff appearances for the near future.

Thirdly, teams like the Nuggets can acquire a guy like Paul Millsap without having to risk their whole future; they have enough assets and players saved up over their last few years of rebuilding.

Millsap doesn't move the needle this season for anyone - save for maybe Toronto.

This is laughably wrong. Millsap immediately improves the fortune of several teams, including OKC, Sacramento, New Orleans, Toronto, Denver, and so on. He turns fringe playoff teams into playoff locks (Sacramento, Denver) and adds a new dimension to the appropriate playoff locks (Toronto, OKC).

[Moranis]

I really don't think we're making the ECF even if Millsap gets traded to a Western Conference team.

Getting past the 1st round is my main goal for this season.  Let's see Brad win a playoff series.

But if Millsap gets traded to Boston, Boston should have the opportunity to lose to the Cavs in the ECF. 

[TheSundanceKid]

Seriously, I don't get why people think that Ross is what the Hawks would want.

He is Nick Young. He's not really even a starter. He's not consistent on either end of the court.

If the Raptors offered two of Poeltl, Noguiera (back to the Hawks), and Caboclo, then it gets interesting. Patterson can take some of Milsap's minutes in Atlanta. Atlanta needs a backup point guard too, which is why Joseph makes more sense.

Patterson is terrible.  For salary purposes he's fine, but for basketball he is not.  As for Ross, he's really got it going this year from deep -- it could be a fluke, but at 25, it's not unheard of that he would have improved.  But I don't see Ross as being a centerpiece to any deal.

The problem for Atlanta is the same as Horford last year. There's an extremely reasonable chance that teams can poach him in FA which drives down the asking price. A team like Boston has little reason to overpay when they could feel like they have a strong chance in the summer. So you're left with the offers that teams like the Raptors can offer, which have a centrepiece like Ross.

[manl_lui]

it appears the Dwight Howard project either failed or they are trying to go in a whole different direction

Korver and Milsap are both core players in that team for the last 3-4 years. I wonder what is the asking price for Milsap is now and also what the price is now for Dwight?

[Evantime34]

Trade for Millsap that I think makes sense

To Denver: Paul Millsap
To Atlanta: Kelly Olynyk, Terry Rozier, Malik Beasley, Tyler Zeller, Memphis pick
To Boston: Danillo Gallinari, Jusuf Nurkic

[TA9]

Trade for Millsap that I think makes sense

To Denver: Paul Millsap
To Atlanta: Kelly Olynyk, Terry Rozier, Malik Beasley, Tyler Zeller, Memphis pick
To Boston: Danillo Gallinari, Jusuf Nurkic

Makes sense for Atlanta and us, but I think it's a bad trade for Denver. That's giving up way too much for a 32 year old player who is going to be a FA in the summer.

[oldtype]

I'm not interested at all unless we're getting him for functionally nothing.  (The 2019 Clippers "first rounder" and other flotsam).

[Kuberski33]

How do you know a bunch of teams wanted an expiring Korver?

Because reputable reporters quite literally just said tonight that several contenders were interested in Korver, but the Cavs' offer of a first-rounder pushed them over the top?

I'm arguing that contrary to what you seem to think, Atlanta is not going to get much for Millsap.  It certainly won't be a bidding war. How many of those has the NBA had at the trade deadline in recent years?

Goran Dragic (Miami, the Knicks, the Lakers, Indiana, Sacramento) and Reggie Jackson (Detroit, the Nets, Indiana) in 2015, to name just two.

The idea that there won't be a bidding war for a good player is ridiculous. That is not how the NBA works; good talent is *always* desirable and teams will pay for it. Not only are teams looking to improve, but trading for Millsap now gives them the inside track on re-signing him if they so choose in the offseason.

No GM is dumb enough to give up significant assets for a 5 month rental who's not going to put them in a position to win a title. The Hawks might get a project or an end of first round pick for him - that's about it.

So the Hawks got a late first rounder for Kyle Korver and I'm expected to buy that they "might" get the same return for a considerably better and more desirable player? Nope. I will gladly revisit this if and when the Hawks trade him.

That said, firstly, the fact that in 2015, Portland's GM traded Will Barton - same guy who was making waves for Sixth Man of the Year/Most Improved Player last year - and a first rounder for Arron Afflalo, who left at the end of the season, already disproves this theory. Clearly, some GM was "dumb enough" to trade significant assets for a rental when he felt it improved his team in the immediate term.

(Oh, and by the way - the Afflalo trade was the result of another bidding war, although on a much smaller scale; Sacramento most notably expressed interest in trading for him at the time).

Secondly, not every single team's goal is to win a championship immediately. Believe it or not, some markets simply want to see competitive teams. The Nuggets have awful fan support due to being a Broncos/Avalanche city and that problem has been compounded with the Nuggets having been bad since 2013. Simply making the playoffs would be a huge improvement for the team, especially if they parlay that into consistent playoff appearances for the near future.

Thirdly, teams like the Nuggets can acquire a guy like Paul Millsap without having to risk their whole future; they have enough assets and players saved up over their last few years of rebuilding.

Millsap doesn't move the needle this season for anyone - save for maybe Toronto.

This is laughably wrong. Millsap immediately improves the fortune of several teams, including OKC, Sacramento, New Orleans, Toronto, Denver, and so on. He turns fringe playoff teams into playoff locks (Sacramento, Denver) and adds a new dimension to the appropriate playoff locks (Toronto, OKC).

Laugh all you want.  We shall see. He helps any team short term.  But how many teams are looking short term since it's pretty much assumed Golden State and Cleveland are the only teams with chances to win this season?  If you can get him to commit to an extension, different story.  I do think it would be a different situation if the it was perceived that the title is up for grabs. It's not.  So Denver gives up a decent player, Millsap helps them finish 7th and they get swept by SA - what did they gain - 2 home playoff games?  And this summer when Millsap hits the market on paper they're a weaker team than they are right now.  Tell me where that makes sense?

[Endless Paradise]

I already told you how it'd make sense (whatever team trades for him would inherently have the inside track on re-signing him due to having his Bird rights). That's absolutely not an inconsequential detail in this new CBA, despite you choosing to regard it as such.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

My prediction is that Milsap goes to the Magic. They wanted him a few years ago, and Milsap almost signed there.

Vogel wants veterans.

I imagine it will be Vucevic and Hezonja for Milsap. Vucevic is a good piece to replace Milsap. It seems like the Magic don't love Hezonja and he is the sweetener to get it done.

Magic can resign both Ibaka and Milsap and continue to develop Gordon next to Milsap. Milsap's ability outside allows them to play Gordon. It also opens the court up for Payton.