Paul Millsap will be coming back as a member of the Denver Nuggets next season. The Nuggets have decided to exercise the power forward’s $30 million player option. While this is a bit pricey for the Nuggets, Millsap is worth the money for the team itself. He may not be a top tier All-Star anymore, but he brings many necessary tangibles to the table. As a result, Denver could not afford to lose him no matter what.
Denver Nuggets Picking Up Paul Millsap’s Option
Paul Millsap’s Numbers From Last Year
Unlike the year before, Millsap was able to play the majority of the season. In the 70 games he played, he averaged 12.6 points per game while shooting 48 percent from the field. He also held his own as a defensive anchor. Per NBA.com, Millsap only allowed seven players in the regular season to average 10 points or more while being guarded by him. In the playoffs, he did not allow any of his match-ups to average above double figures when being guarded by the veteran power forward.
Millsap also averaged 1.2 steals per game and possessed a defensive differential of 1.9. All in all, Millsap has proved his worth as a defensive presence in the paint for the Denver Nuggets. Keep in mind, when Millsap missed 40 games in his first year as a Nugget, the Nuggets were in the bottom five of defensive efficiency. This ranking drastically improved this past season with him in the rotation. However, he also has one characteristic which does not show up in the box score.
Paul Millsap: The Glue Guy
Millsap has always been a steadying presence throughout his career. For the Nuggets, he brings veteran experience and the ability to mentor. Millsap has had a lot to do with the growth and prospering of Nuggets’ super-star, Nikola Jokic. Not just as a player on the court, but also as a professional off the court.
One will never hear about Millsap getting into trouble off the court. He does his job and does not let the ego get in the way of being a professional. While being a glue guy in the locker room may be a small thing, it is extremely valuable in the NBA. With all of this in mind, it was a no-brainer for the Nuggets to pick up his player option. Paul Millsap is too valuable to the team for them to risk him walking in free agency.
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