Can Paul Millsap make the move to the SF position?

[Litany]

With the arrival of Favors who many (including me) believe is the future starting PF of this team, there have been many questions looming about the future of Paul Millsap on this team.

I like seeing Favors and Jefferson together on the floor and I think that they work well together and this will only get better as time goes.

Where does that leave Millsap? I want to go on record saying Paul Millsap is one of my favorite players in the NBA. I am not alone on this obviously which is why his jersey was the #1 jersey sold of any Jazz player this year (I saw this statistic back in December, so yes, that included when Deron was here). He is such a hard worker and he has improved EVERY year.

I think that is why people have felt like they are caught in a tough place. I have at least. I love Millsap, but I see the problems that having him start at the PF position creates, mostly on the defensive end.

I questioned people when they said why don't we move Paul Millsap to the SF position and have him start there. I didn't think it would really work and I didn't think it was a good idea initially. But now that I have had some time to think about it I think it is a great idea that we should seriously consider.

I don't know what the Jazz have planned for AK. I think he can do great things on the court, but I don't know that we will be able to sign him at a reasonable price, or if we should. If he does not play anymore games for the rest of the season, he will have missed over 23% of the games in his career due to injury. That is huge in my eyes. If they can keep him for cheap, maybe, but I am guessing he will be offered more than we should match.

Regardless, I like the idea of a starting lineup of:

Jefferson
Favors
Millsap
Hayward
Harris

With the backups being C.J., Evans, whatever role players they want to keep and the draft picks from this year (I hope its Derrick Williams or Harrison Barnes and Brandon Knight, but that is for discussion in another thread ).

One example that comes to mind when thinking of a SF with the same body as Paul and about the same height is Ron Artest.

Ron Artest is 6-7' and weighs 260 pounds and Millsap is 6-8' and weighs 250.

He has had success at that position and we all know that Millsap has a better shot than Artest and IMO an overall better offensive game than he does.

If anyone can make the move to make this work its Paul. He is such a hard worker and if he decides to do this, he could get leaner and quicker in the offseason to make it work.

I look forward to hearing all of your thoughts on this matter.

[DelaneyRudd]

Nope. When Favor develops Millsap to the bench. Or dangle him for the right price.

[Ugly0598]

Millsap would have to get into shape to be at the SF which means dropping quite a few pounds.

[Litany]

Nope. When Favor develops Millsap to the bench. Or dangle him for the right price.

What are your arguments for saying that it isn't possible. I am just interested. I was in your boat initially, but I just don't see why we shouldn't seriously look into this.

[Litany]

Millsap would have to get into shape to be at the SF which means dropping quite a few pounds.

I think he could definitely get leaner. My impression of Paul is that he likes it here. Don't you think that if he wanted to really do this that he could pull it off?

His outside shot has a very high percentage. He just needs to work on the three. His career 3-pt percentage is low, but this year it is at 40%. With more work, I don't see why it couldn't hang around that 40% number.

I just want to hear peoples thoughts on why they like or dislike the idea.

[Jazzfan12]

Millsap at SF would be exclusively a postup player which means Millsap, Al, and Favors would all just take turns posting up on offense, won't work.

[Litany]

Salt Lake Tribune article about this topic:

Asked whether he is interested in switching positions next season and bumping down from center to power forward, Jazz big man Al Jefferson instantly responded with a definitive negative.

“Could I do it? Yeah,” Jefferson said. “Would I want to do it? No.”

Utah’s premier center was also armed with ammunition as he answered a question that initially appeared to be a nonstarter.

“I like playing the five, man. It’s better for me,” Jefferson said. “The game done changed so much, and you don’t see no fours like me no more.”

There are also are very few fives like Jefferson left in a league that continues to become smaller, faster and more progressive. Listed at 6-foot-10 but appearing in person more like a tall 6-foot-8, the center-forward hybrid is a highly unique offensive scoring machine, turning old-school post moves into a multitude of swished shots. Jefferson leads the Jazz in average scoring (19.1) and rebounds (9.6) this season. And he did not find his real rhythm until after the All-Star break, since which he ranks fifth out of all players in points (25.1), topping stars such as New York’s Carmelo Anthony, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant and Orlando’s Dwight Howard.

Offensively, a Utah team that is expected to undergo significant change in the offseason likes Jefferson just the way he is: back to the basket; 50.2 percent field goal shooting; demanding and aggressive.

Defensively, Jefferson has made strides and shown increased attention to detail. But even he has acknowledged that the nonscoring side of his game remains a seven-year work in progress, while the undersized interior pair of Jefferson and starting power forward Paul Millsap has been an offensive dream and a defensive nightmare for the Jazz.

Which presents Utah with a problem. Post-Deron Williams, Jefferson and Millsap are the organization’s top two players. Both are under contract through 2012-13, with Millsap’s final-year salary of $7.2 million being the NBA’s version of a financial steal. They personally like each other, share the ball well and are co-owners of the Jazz’s 2010-11 most valuable player award. Yet Utah ranks 28th out of 30 teams in rebounding (39.3), and everyone from Memphis reserve center Hamed Haddadi to Houston rookie Patrick Patterson have obliterated the Jazz in the post during recent games.

So if Jefferson won’t change positions, what about Millsap? Could the first-year starter who has spent his entire NBA career adapting, evolving and defying limitations make another major change?

Just like Big Al, Millsap had an immediate answer. But his response had a completely different tone.

“I’m open for whatever,” said Millsap, who is enjoying a career year while shooting a torrid 61.1 percent from the floor and averaging 23.2 points during his last five games.

Millsap has never played the three. And his muscular 6-foot-8, 250-pound does not exactly scream Melo — the league’s 230-pound modern ideal of the small forward position. Yet Millsap’s ballhandling has continued to improve; he consistently beats opposing defenders off the dribble; and his outside shot has developed to the point that one of the few automatics for Utah has been the sight of Millsap pulling up for and draining a smooth 18-foot jump shot.

Moreover, Salt Lake City’s iron man doesn’t think that the change would be a big deal. Just give him some advance notice — such as an extended offseason stretched by a likely lockout — and he’s a willing participant.

“I think with a preseason, [a summer] to prepare for it — to know that I’m going to be in that position — I think it’d make that transition smoother,” Millsap said.

Jefferson would support Millsap’s move to the three, and he praised his teammate’s versatility and depth. And while Big Al was not fond of possibly being bumped down to the four next season, he had two other ideas in mind. Either Utah can go shopping this summer and buy a free-agent power forward, allowing Millsap’s switch. Or the small-market Jazz could just save their money and rebuild while also adding on — for free.

“Put Derrick [Favors] at the four,” Jefferson said. “Derrick at the four, I’m at the five — that’s a nice lineup.”

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/51512 ... csp?page=1

[Paper Face]

It certainly couldn't hurt our front line from a defensive standpoint. Favors defensive presence is already better than either AJ's or Sap's. Even with all the fouls. Getting killed from the perimeter is better than getting killed inside. If Sap isn't able to guard small forwards, it simply changes the shots from high to low percentage while Favors anchors the defense. It also, however, caters to the current league rules that favor perimeter players who have a quick first step.

I think Sap would be better than expected at guarding the 3 spot, though. He's not that slow. He'd answer tit for tat with his own perimeter shot. He'd also be a nightmare for opposing SFs down on the block for small stretches.

As Favors' game progresses, a front line that included those three could approach something amazing in a couple of years.

[Luigi]

I don't think Millsap could change his offensive game to the SF. He could get the jumper down at range without much work, but he's never going to have the handle or movement needed for that position. He's a bruiser, even if he's a bit undersized. But that's not too big of a problem, he could just be a post up 3.

The real problem is guarding opposing 3s. With Jefferson and Favors on the floor, Paul would have the guard a lot of fast, face up type of players. He's just built to be bulky, and that kills his lateral movement. Even if he lost the weight, I don't think he's particularly light footed.

I like running a three man rotation with Jefferson, Favors, and Millsap until something else comes along.

[StocktonShorts]

It's certainly worth a shot.

[Litany]

It just makes me wonder how things could be if he shifted his focus from just brute strength down-low to more speed. Also, as a 3 he would be taking more 3-pointers and is there any doubt that he could shoot a good percentage if he made this part of his practice routine? I don't doubt it. He hasn't taken many this year, but he is at almost 40% on the season. His stroke is beautiful.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCiHOpNJXnc[/youtube]

[Litany]

Some people think he is just slow but remember he is battling lots of injuries this season. He isn't slow. And he is also athletic.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peh6nfPc3fA[/youtube]

I don't think he gets credit for his ability to put the ball on the floor and drive past his man. His handle is only improving with time.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ5fwxMm1d4[/youtube]

[Efernand]

He's taken 16 three point shots all season, that is a ridiculously tiny sample size. Impossible to say how he'd do over an entire season. I don't think he could play SF, while he has a jump shot a lot of his work comes around the basket and he couldn't be clogging the lane with 2 more guys already in there. I also don't think he could guard quick small forwards, he lacks the lateral quickness.

[Nate505]

I wish the Jazz would try it in these last few games. Really, who cares about the results. Now is the time to do some lineup experimentation, play the rookies, etc.

[Sparky6string]

I think he already plays like a 3 and has the speed and handles to do the job. If he comes back lighter with an eye on claiming the starting 3 spot it'll only help.

[@ndrew]

no way. What's the point? He is ok to play with just really big center. Make a rotation or just trade him...
Orlando would love to have him, I guess.

[Soul Patch]

If Millsap says he can do it I believe him. He is my Jesus.

[The59Sound]

I don't think he gets credit for his ability to put the ball on the floor and drive past his man. His handle is only improving with time.

My concern is that while his ball-handling at the 4 is elite, it may not be so at the 3.

[Millsap24]

Millsap can definitely play the 3. If you watched him this season, he's been playing like a SF most of the time. He catches the ball at the highpost or at the upper wing areas then does his thing. He has a great fadeaway jumper too.

[Jazzfan Bayamon]

Well, he at times has matched up against Melo and hasn't been obliterated. He also has matched up vs Artest and has been efective. I wouldn't mind him at the 3, especially with CJ or Hayward, Harris and Favors also starting. This would make our team quite athletic again, and off the bench you would have guys like Memo, CJ or Hayward (who ever isn't starting), Evans and hopefully two solid DPs preferaby as backup PG and athletic wing player. I think it will also conserve his body as he won't have to bang so much down low, and will make for an excelent (even better) rebounder at the 3.