The case AGAINST keeping Millsap

[Jamaaliver]

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Oh, boy...

[tbhawksfan1]

Whether they keep Sap or not, things are going to get very difficult. We've seen too many core, or rotation guys walk, too much bad draft management, too much signing of older vets and finally signing DH and way over-paying Baze.

They had to go to Europe to get Delaney just to try to complete the regular rotation last year; next year is going to be even more difficult to round out the rotation because of our terrible cap situation.

I expect the Hawks to slide out of the playyoff teams next season, while not tanking.

Ressler hasn't said it, but it's clear that he's playing for playoff revenue, not to win. The short-term moves made the last two years have been dirty band-aid and long-term strategy is getting gangrene.

I only see two smart move made during this period; the Teague tradeand the Korver. Problem is; since Hawks were playing win now, they were stupid moves.

Hawks really need to get their strategy worked out. If I'm correct and Hawks slide out of the playoffs next season, Ressler is going to look real bad. Some of us can already see it

[dms269]

I disagree about the Teague move not being a win now move. You had to give Dennis the starting role sometime. You can't pay both of them starter money to have one come off the bench, especially with Dennis' ego.

I think you can keep Sap and still be a playoff team. Prince will get a larger role and will step up nicely. The team won't be great, but has shown they can go on runs.

However if Millsap leaves it is a completely different story.

[Jamaaliver]

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The Hawks are in a tough spot, forced to pay Millsap major money from age 32 to 37 or lose him for nothing. If they let him walk, they’d be saddled with a highly paid and maybe unhappy Dwight Howard and an only passable young core comprised of Dennis Schroder, Taurean Prince, Tim Hardaway Jr. and DeAndre’ Bembry. Keep Millsap, and the upside is a playoff series or two per year.

Trading Millsap would have prevented this dilemma, though it also might have kept Atlanta out of the playoffs this year.

At this point, moderate winning seems to be the Hawks’ preferred choice, but they don’t control the situation. As an unrestricted free agent, Millsap holds most of the cards.

[PandaKidd]

Not shocking. Wouldnt be surprised to see Millsap do what Horford did, take less money and leave.

[Jamaaliver]

You make the call: Should the Hawks keep Paul Millsap?

If the Atlanta Hawks re-sign Paul Millsap, they’ll have kept a certified All-Star who’s not quite a superstar. If they don’t re-sign Millsap, they’ll have a team that centers, figuratively and literally around Dwight Howard. Nobody wants that.

If you’re the Hawks, there’s your dilemma: Keeping Millsap wouldn’t come with any assurance they’re apt to get better; not keeping him would almost certainly make them worse in the short term and maybe the long.
The third option would be to let Millsap and Tim Hardaway Jr leave, and essentially start again, but it’s hard to start again if you don’t have a lottery pick.

This is roughly the same ground the Hawks occupied when Al Horford became a free agent last summer.

So, then: Audience participation time. What should the Hawks do?

myAJC

As of Tuesday at lunch time, Hawks fans are evenly split between bringing Millsap back and rebuilding the whole team.

Wow!

[Jamaaliver]

Biggest Ticking Time Bombs in 2017 NBA Free Agency

Free agency can be—and often is—a dangerous game in the NBA. [T]he players who put pen to paper on the more exorbitant pacts could turn into toxic assets in a flash...whether due to age, injury histories or some combination of factors.

Paul Millsap, Power Forward, Atlanta Hawks

How great he’ll be, and for how long, will largely be up to Father Time. Millsap is coming off a career-best scoring season, though some other numbers suggest a decline to be in the offing.

The first: his age (32). The second: his field-goal percentage (a career-low 44.2 percent). The third: his PER (17.8, his lowest since 2009-10).

Bleacher Report

[Jamaaliver]

We knew this was coming, but it's still a bit nerve wracking knowing his decision largely determines what direction our entire franchise will choose to go:

Read on Twitter

Millsap takes step toward free agency, and it might be for the best

The Hawks’ best player, who would have earned $21.472 million next season, will become an unrestricted free agent. This has been anticipated for more than a year...

Hawks owner Tony Ressler says he will make “every effort imaginable” to keep Millsap. But it should be noted he said that in the same interview when he stated Budenholzer and Wilcox would be retained in their roles moving forward.

Breaking News: They weren't.

The Hawks’ need a major rebuild. It makes no sense to give Millsap a five-year max deal that would total about $207 million. The Hawks would be paying more than $47 million in the final year of a deal to a 37-year-old player. I’m not sure maxing out Millsap for four years ($153 million) is even a good idea.

The Hawks should have traded Millsap last summer or before the trade deadline to acquire assets for him. Because now they risk losing him for nothing — just like AL Horford.

myAJC

[HMFFL]

I will be curious to see what happens will Millsap.
Keep in mind, we attempted to trade him, or "gauge" his value multiple times.

[Geaux_Hawks]

Meh, it's really about what Sap wants. If he is all about the almighty dollar sign, then he will be back in Atlanta. If he wants a fresh place to compete, then he will dart elsewhere no matter what. This will all depend on what Resseler decides to promise him, and whether or not Sap believes it's true.

[atlantabbq99]

Should the Hawks walk away from Millsap and target 1 or 2 other free agents?

Blake Griffin
Rudy Gay
Serge Ibaka
JJ Redick
Greg Monroe
Zach Randolph
Nikola Mirotc
Bojan Bogdaovic

If I was GM and decided to walk away from Millsap, I would take a strong look at Nikola Mirotc, Rudy Gay , and Bojan Bogdaovic.

At the end of the day, i would go back to the old system and just load up on shooters again.

[DusterBuster]

I really didn't get why the Hawks changed course with trading Millsap at the deadline

[tbhawksfan1]

I really didn't get why the Hawks changed course with trading Millsap at the deadline

Short-term investment in playoff revenue at the cost of improving the team. Now we either keep Sap, who we can't win with or another one walks for nothing....except 43 wins and a playoff smacking

A lot of poor team management happening in Hawks town.

[Jamaaliver]

I really didn't get why the Hawks changed course with trading Millsap at the deadline

Likewise.

It reeks of desperation.

Playing for the Hawks has been good for Millsap's career. That matters.

So, too, does the Hawks' obsession with avoiding a full-scale rebuild. They would have dealt Millsap at the trade deadline if they were going to hit the reset button and can't spin losing another star for nothing in back-to-back summers (see: Horford, Al).

They may shell out whatever it takes to keep him, if only because losing him is a nightmare alternative. That desperation, plus the familiarity factor, should pique Millsap's interest.

Bleacher Report

[DusterBuster]

I really didn't get why the Hawks changed course with trading Millsap at the deadline

Likewise.

It reeks of desperation.

Playing for the Hawks has been good for Millsap's career. That matters.

So, too, does the Hawks' obsession with avoiding a full-scale rebuild. They would have dealt Millsap at the trade deadline if they were going to hit the reset button and can't spin losing another star for nothing in back-to-back summers (see: Horford, Al).

They may shell out whatever it takes to keep him, if only because losing him is a nightmare alternative. That desperation, plus the familiarity factor, should pique Millsap's interest.

Bleacher Report

Feels like a retread of the Joe Johnson situation.

[Jamaaliver]

Feels like a retread of the Joe Johnson situation.

That's exactly what it is.

The problem is none of these decision makers were around during that time period and, thus, didn't learn the lessons from that era.

Massively overpaying for veteran All Stars who can't carry your team or live up to their contract is a poor decision. It ties up your payroll for years and limits the ability to improve your squad.

Fans have definitely seen this play out before.

Mgmt clearly has to learn this lesson the hard way.

[tbhawksfan1]

Feels like a retread of the Joe Johnson situation.

That's exactly what it is.

The problem is none of these decision makers were around during that time period and thus, didn't learn the lessons from that era.

Massively overpaying for veteran All Stars who can't carry your team or live up to their contract is a poor decision. It ties up your payroll for years and limits the ability to improve your squad.

Fans have definitely seen this play out before.

Mgmt clearly has to learn this lesson the hard way.

Hope not. I'm hoping that they actually do a good job hiring a GM and that said person slaps some sense into Ressler concerning the reality of the roster / cap / potential.

Hawks absolutely need a rebuild and it looks like Ressler wants to hog tie us into a 40-45 win first round exit team. while we get to watch Sap and Howard decline, likely trading first round picks to band-aid an overwhelmed team for the next 3-4 years

[Jamaaliver]

Hope not. I'm hoping that they actually do a good job hiring a GM and that said person slaps some sense into Ressler concerning the reality of the roster / cap / potential.

Hawks absolutely need a rebuild and it looks like Ressler wants to hog tie us into a 40-45 win first round exit team.

Lesson I'm learning quickly: watch what Ressler does, not what he says.


He told us Wilcox and Bud were both safe...then removed each from executive decisions. That's important. It sets a precedent.

He claims he shot down a Millsap trade this winter and said 'NFW'.

But multiple sources confirm that Millsap was all but traded last summer, before Horford defected.

Ressler is lying. But they're necessary lies.

He takes responsibility for Dwight.
He states Millsap is the highest priority.
He states Bud's voice is the loudest.

But what he does regarding each of these is more important than any well crafted public comments.

[jayu70]

Ressler should just stop talking.

[atlantabbq99]

Worst comes to worst, i would be interested in seeing Muscala as a starter with Dwight helping out and anchoring the defense.

As a 7footer, Moose ended the year shooting 42% from three. Given minutes, maybe Moose can turn into the Hawks version of Ryan Anderson.