Atlanta Hawks Trade Rumors: Paul Millsap Plans to Become a Free Agent This Offseason
The Atlanta Hawks decided to take the risk and keep All-Star forward Paul Millsap for the rest of the season instead of trading him before the trade deadline. They were hoping to convince him to re-sign with the team this offseason, but it looks like he might have other plans.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Millsap is expected to opt out of his contract after the season and test the open market. He added that the forward loves to stay with the Hawks, though. Schefter also said that the Hawks may offer him a five-year, $207-million deal this summer, or he can take a four-year, $154-million contract elsewhere.
Well, his decision probably won't surprise anyone. It's true he will get $21.4 million in the final year of his current contract, but he will earn a lot more if he opts out. Millsap is already 32 and this is probably his last chance to sign a long-term deal.
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"If you stood to earn a 67 percent raise at your job, wouldn't you take steps to make that happen?" Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo's Ball Don't Lie said in his report.
"In Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap's case, that raise means an extra $14.3 million next year alone, so he plans to decline his player option for 2017–18, a formality this summer all but confirmed by a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter (yes, that Adam Schefter, the intrepid NFL reporter) on Wednesday," he continued.
That was well said.
The Hawks already lost Al Horford without getting anything in return last summer when he signed with the Celtics and they could lose Millsap as well this year. There's definitely a chance he could leave Atlanta to sign with another team. The Hawks want him back, but are they willing to give him a max contract that will pay him a lot of money until he's 37?
