LOOK: China Invented The Weirdest Way Ever To Ward Off Pervs
Chipotle Reveals Use Of Controversial Ingredient
The market for restricted free agent Paul Millsap was expected to be robust in theory, if not in actuality. This is to say Millsap is a highly desired fellow, given his proclivity to rebound like a champ, score efficiently, and defend his tail off at the power forward position. However, as always, a limited pool of clubs will head into July with cap space for next season.The Thunder is one team with space to sign a free agent like Millsap. The team currently falls about $15 million under the cap, and Millsap has been pegged to pull a starting salary around $7-8 million. Oklahoma City can certainly afford to get into that ballpark, should Sam Presti desire to. Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Tribune seems to believe OKC, in fact, desires Millsap.
On the surface, the relationship makes sense. OKC really needs some skilled frontline brawn. The Thunder finished the season the worst shooting team in the league, belying a lack of inside scoring that generally becomes the base of a strong field goal percentage. OKC also finished poorly in shot defense, and an active paint defender like Millsap (who, by the way, blocks a surprising number of shots, given his underwhelming height) could help. Millsap's third great quality -- which is actually his most impressive -- in offensive rebounding would bolster a squad already near the top of the league's rankings, thanks to Russell Westbrook and Nick Collison.
The one question about Millsap in Oklahoma, however, is what the team will do about the center position and Jeff Green. The team grabbed B.J. Mullens in the late first round, but even my friend Steak Tartare thinks the Buckeye is too raw. Among returning players, steady Collison and Nenad Krstic shared pivot duties last season. Green played predominantly at the power forward, which is the only place Millsap can legitimately play. Unless Presti feels paying top dollar for a back-up is smart, or if he plans to trade Green sometime soon, I'm not sure exactly where Millsap fits. If the price were cheaper, you could plunge now and let Scott Brooks figure it out in October. But cap space is precious. Filling it with a foreign puzzle piece doesn't make sense.
And please don't forget heading into all this that Utah reserves the right to match any offer for Millsap as the forward is a restricted free agent. If Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur opt out, the Jazz can sign Millsap without luxury tax worry. But if the team signs Okur to a deal starting in the $8-10 million range, and a team makes a serious offer to Millsap (the aforementioned $7-8 million), Utah will be broaching luxury tax territory for a team that is clearly a few steps behind the Western elite. And that's without Boozer.
(This is where I tell you to mark my words that Detroit will be the most passionate Millsap suitor.)
LIVE: NBA Finals Game 6
Obama Gives Speech At Historic Landmark
Michael Hastings Dies In Car Crash At Age 33
Karzai Suspends Talks With U.S. Over Taliban Negotiations
Obama Defends NSA Programs
Report Highlights Climate-Poverty Link
House Passes Major Anti-Abortion Bill
Banks Caught In How Many Mortgage Settlement Violations?
GOP 2016 Contenders Test Swords In Immigration Debate
Food Stamps Mean $100 Million To Military Families
REPORTS: Patriots TE Questioned By Police In Murder Probe
GOP Education Fix Goes Too Far
Serena Makes Inflammatory Remarks About Steubenville Victim
'I Know Four People Who Have Been Shot'
House Committee Advances Immigration Bill Over Dem Objections
WATCH: FBI Releases New Video Of 2008 Times Square Bombing
Google Is Using The First Amendment To Push Back Against The NSA
Official Claims White House Wasn't Involved In IRS Scandal
Young Adults Want Health Insurance, Which Is Good News For Obamacare: Survey
4 U.S. Soldiers Killed In Attack On Afghanistan Air Base
Major City Closes In On Plastic Bag Ban
U.S. To Start Talks With Taliban
Huge Savings Predicted From Immigration Bill
Fineman: Bachmann's 'Got A Point' On Syria
Congressman To Challenge IRS In Court
Same-Sex Couples Face Significant Housing Discrimination, Historic Government Study Says
LOOK: Iran's New President Makes Important Statement In New Tweet
U.S. Companies Lobbying Furiously To Save Tax Loopholes
Mika Admits 'Hypocrisy' Over NSA Scandals
