Could Thunder Make Offer To Millsap? Wiretap

[wiff]

There was speculation on Sunday night that the Thunder might be preparing an offer for Paul Millsap.

Millsap is a restricted free agent, and former Jazz director of player personnel Troy Weaver is now a part of Oklahoma City's front office.

The Thunder are expected to have $11 million in cap space this summer.

I'm not sure if the Jazz will let him walk by this doesn't surprise me at all.

Millsap as a starter in 38 games with 34 minutes a night was pounding out 16pts and 10.3rebs. He seems like a Presti kind of guy to me a lunch pale type of guy who gets work done.

Plus he'll come much cheaper than Amare or Bosh and he's younger.

Plus if they throw a bunch of money at him and the Jazz match then that only eats up the Jazz's cap down the road.

If the Thunder manage to land Millsap they will make the playoffs.

PG Westbrook
SG Harden
SF Durant
PF Millsap
C Kystic

That gives Green the role he is truly fitted for best as a super 6th man. It allows Harden to start because Green can come off the bench and light it up. Plus with Millsap truly being a low post presence it allows Kyrstic to play away from the basket, and it also give BJ Mullens a chance to come in and block as many shots as he can before fouling out.

6th Green
7th Thabo
8th Collison
9th Livvy
10-14 White, Weaver, Mullens, Ibaka, Laden.

Traded away for picks and future assets,
Watson, Wilkins and Atkins.

That would be one hell of an off season for the Thunder. A solid draft and Millsap would be an amazing feat by Presti.

[slick_watts]

with boozer's future so uncertain i can't imagine the jazz not matching an offer.

i'd love to have millsap though.

[wiff]

with boozer's future so uncertain i can't imagine the jazz not matching an offer.

i'd love to have millsap though.

I was just over at the Jazz board and they were saying that it doesn't look like Detroit is going to offer Boozer more than 10mil a year.

So if Boozer opts "in" then he will get 12.5mil from the Jazz this coming year making it really difficult for the Jazz to pay Millsap what he wants to retain him.

Sweeeeeeet.

[slick_watts]

isn't okur going to opt out? i just don't see utah letting millsap go unless someone signs him to a ridiculous offer sheet. i like millsap on this team but he's not an elite or even second tier power forward imo, probably in the lamarcus alridge / david lee grouping. he'd be a great addition but i really doubt he's worth the money it'd take to get him aboard.

i think $7 million a year is about the right price, and i think utah matches it.

[slick_watts]

another concern is minutes

PG westbrook 35 / weaver 10 / harden 3
SG harden 30 / sefolosha 10 / durant 8
SF durant 32 / green 16
PF millsap 32 / green 16
C krstic 24 / collison 24

i guess it works but sefolosha gets a major demotion.

[Slyon85]

I don't think Harden plays 30 minutes a game, he's only a rookie and while he has talent, Sefolosha would probably get 20-25 minutes as well.

[omeloon]

I figured the Thunder would probably go after Lee since he might be easier to steal with the Knicks dreaming of 2010, but Milsap probably would be a better fit. Especially since Lee is a pylon on D. $7-8 mill would definitely put the pressure on the Jazz

[wiff]

I can see the Thunder throwing 8.5mil at Millsap. And making it a really hard decision for the Jazz.

For 38 games as a starter he was pulling in 16pt and 10.3boards

With guys like Amare and Bosh wanting extensions that put them in the 18 to 22 mil per year range Millsap at 8.5 mil looks pretty tempting.

[TheOGJabroni]

another concern is minutes

PG westbrook 35 / weaver 10 / harden 3
SG harden 30 / sefolosha 10 / durant 8
SF durant 32 / green 16
PF millsap 32 / green 16
C krstic 24 / collison 24

i guess it works but sefolosha gets a major demotion.

I hope Durant doesn't see any SG time.

PG - Westbrook 36 / Weaver 12 / Livingston
SG - Harden 32 / Sefolosha 16 / Wilkens
SF - Durant 36 / Green 12
PF - Millsap 32 / Green 16 / White
C - Krstic 32 / Collison 16 / Mullens

That should be your core. Green still sees 28 minutes. Sefolosha takes a little bit of a hit but nothing that should make him unhappy. If any of Harden, Durant, Millsap were injured - insert DJ White and play the others more minutes. Not a bad team at all.

[Dick Tate]

The Suns would take Jeff Green for Amare. Uh huh.
Millsap would make the Plunder a playoff team.

Look out, the kool-aide smile is going to come crashing through the wall at any moment.

Good god!
How about you fellas try to win 30 games first? You did realize the Blunder still play in the western conference, right?

[Big_Mac79]

For 38 games as a starter he was pulling in 16pt and 10.3boards

Well a couple things here Wiff to compare him to Jeff
1) In Jeff's 1st season ever at the same position he averaged 16.5/6.7 oh yeah against Utah 17.7/7
2) Paul has been playing this position his entire life and is an inch shorter than Jeff

I'm just saying let's keep giving Jeff a shot here
He has not disappointed at all in my eyes
I feel it is unnecessary to make a change like this right now
I feel the best spot to improve or add a player is the Center position

[Dick Tate]

What? You mean Kystic is not the stuff that champions are made of?
Wiffler will be crushed.

[slick_watts]

Dick Tate is making posts on the Thunder forum, clearly he was never a Sonics fan

[slick_watts]

For 38 games as a starter he was pulling in 16pt and 10.3boards

Well a couple things here Wiff to compare him to Jeff
1) In Jeff's 1st season ever at the same position he averaged 16.5/6.7 oh yeah against Utah 17.7/7
2) Paul has been playing this position his entire life and is an inch shorter than Jeff

I'm just saying let's keep giving Jeff a shot here
He has not disappointed at all in my eyes
I feel it is unnecessary to make a change like this right now
I feel the best spot to improve or add a player is the Center position

difference between millsap and green is standing reach. jeff green has a real short reach, only 8'7" which is why he struggles so much against PF's. millsap isn't freakishly long, but he's long enough to be disruptive defensively.

[mnkinga23]

You could give that money to Paul Millsap and hope to pry him out of the grasp of the Jazz or you could use that money to address a real position of need for the Thunder and that would be an interior shot blocker.

[wiff]

You could give that money to Paul Millsap and hope to pry him out of the grasp of the Jazz or you could use that money to address a real position of need for the Thunder and that would be an interior shot blocker.

I think BJ Mullens will see minutes at center and with the offensive fire power this team has I see him out there to block shots and to lay guards on their butts when they go into the paint.

What? You mean Kystic is not the stuff that champions are made of?
Wiffler will be crushed.

Oh Dick you sure do come around a lot for someone who gets sick to their stomach to see people following the Thunder.

You must be a masochist Dick.

[bmw42690]

I like Millsap as a player, but I dont think he is the answer. We already have Green and White who are shorter 4's. If we already had a legit center I would be fine with adding him. Kristic is nice to have since he can stretch the defense, but we need someone who can give us an inside presence at the 5. Mullens isnt ready and Kristic isnt that type of player so finding that guy at the 5 should be top priority. Like I said I like Millsap, but I'm just not sure how well he fits with this the guys we have.

[slick_watts]

i don't think adding millsap precludes the team from adding a center down the road.

[ThunderPoke]

Yes, and this is where expiring$ come into play....I'd bring Kaman into the fold for expirings.

[TheOGJabroni]

Lets face it, OKC isn't ready to win big yet. So why not get Millsap? Green can be the 6th man playing lots of minutes behind Millsap and KD. We can use him as a trading chip for a legit Center. Mullens could develop into that C. There's plenty of time to figure that all out because OKC is not quite ready to win yet. They are young and improving and they are on the right track though IMO.