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Given Consensus: Millsap will garner 4 years at $9-$12Million Per, Millsap is a good starter but a great bench player. We would prefer he eventually come off the bench but are worried he won't do it, and we would prefer to pay him $8M per. We may differ a little here but here is what I would do:

Given the new CBA I don't want to pay a 6th man more than $8M, I would rather have a guy at $5M be my stud 6th man big.

Millsap Career PER is 18.72 and he could cost us as much as 5/$50-$60M

I would rather sign a player who we could get on a 3/$15M deal who has a career 18.3 career per and will fill that roll quite nicely. He and Paul have about the same time in the league and both have been starters and back ups in their careers.

Before I reveal who it is: Answer whether you think it a more wise use of cap space to go after a very similar player who can be had for a lower price tag and still produce at near the exact same level, or whether we want a 6th man at $10+M coming off our bench eventually. (My basic premise is that if Paul Millsap is your starting PF you are a mediocre team, if he is your 3rd big you can be beastly.)

What would you do with the cap space? Sign Paul to big money, or add equal talent to a smaller contract and save space?
Who do you think I am thinking of?
Or who would you sign and for what money?

If you're thinking Carl Landry, I'm right there with you. I don't think he's as talented as Millsap, in fact 'Sap's PER is 4th best among PF's this season at over 20, but when you factor in salary and willingness to come off the bench, Landry to me is a clear choice.

You've got to think the Jazz have a decent shot at him, unless somehow he's really wants to stay in Golden State. He seems like a Jazz type of guy, in all the good ways.

*Edit - I was still picturing Landry on the Kings in my mind, fixed to say Golden State

Carl Landry it is. He couldn't find a place to land this off season... victim of being a guy who wasn't correctly valued early on by his original team (Houston) and thus was traded and once traded became a vagabond... and I think that is why his value is a little more in the category of Journey man, whereas Millsap has the mistique of playoff appearances, a single franchise... and being a better all around player slightly. Played for Sloan, with Deron Williams etc.

Landry signed a 2 year $8M deal paying $4M this year but a player option next. Certainly GSW will want to re-up him in the off-season but with the higher need to re-up Jarret Jack as a high level backup to an injury prone starter in Curry, and the fact that Rush got injured and will likely pick up his player option...

It is my belief that barring injury Landy is a lock to opt out... and become a free agent in a weak market... I would go Phoenix Suns on him like they did with Raja and offer him a take it or leave it 3/$15 deal fully guaranteed deal at 12:01 July 1... I think a journeyman like him would snatch that up quickly and GSW coudn't do a thing.

I certainly would miss Millsap, but part of why we love him deep down as GM forum followers is his price tag... I don't want to like him less at $10-$12M per year. I also want to put people in their proper rotation in the basketball universe... and Paul is a great back up but he is just too pricey as a backup.

I honestly believe Millsap could start on a lot of good teams in the league - he doesn't necessarily need to come off the bench. The question is can he be a top 2 offensive option on a legitimate contender, and I think the answer is clearly no.

For example, picture him as starting PF on the Thunder next to Durant and Westbrook, with Ibaka making up for some of his height/defensive deficiencies. Not sure if the salary he's going to get will allow a team that good to pick him up, but it's a thought.

Well of course you always wanna get the best value players that you can find especially when your in a small market. Millsap is a better player than landry but the difference is not big enough that we couldn't easily make it up by upgrading the rest of our team. So getting Landry for a much smaller price would be great.

The problem is that this assumes Big Al is not resigned (which in my opinion is becoming more of a certainty with the better we perform) or Kanter is traded (which is possible, not sure how likely). Landry's value as a 4th big is not as good (don't like him at SF). Sure if Big Al doesn't resign then Landry would be great but i seriously think he will be back and jazz will push forward with more veterans.

Yea but Landry might get overlooked again since I think teams will focus on guys like hickson and blatche who are both in for huge pay days. Another guy I think will be overlooked and is highly underrated is Brandan Wright. Yes his health is a concern and so is his rebounding but when the guy gets a chance to play he produces. He plays smart, defends well, has good shot selection, gives good energy, ect.... Still has some issues with varies parts of his game but I think he will be fine. He just needs the oppurtunity and I would be willing to give him a chance to prove himself in major minutes if the price is right which I'm sure it very well could be.