Will Paul Millsap Go Back To Utah?

After two great years with the Atlanta Hawks, PF Paul Millsap enters unrestricted free agency looking for a more lucrative contract to play under in 2015-16. There are many suitors for the two-time NBA All-Star stretch four. However, I believe the two most likely landing spots for Millsap are either re-signing with Atlanta or going back to his former team: the Utah Jazz. Would Paul Millsap leave a championship contender in Atlanta to go play for an up-and-coming Utah Jazz team?

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There is definitely strong ties to both teams for Paul. He was the 47th overall selection by the Jazz in 2006 and played his first seven NBA seasons in Salt Lake City. His younger brother Elijah Millsap signed a three-year deal to play with the Jazz back on January 25th. The head coach of the Utah Jazz Quin Snyder was Atlanta’s top assistant in 2013-14 when Paul first ascended to All-Star level. Salt Lake City is also a great basketball town and the Jazz are very much on the verge of getting back into the Western Conference Playoffs.

In Atlanta, Paul has been a major reason for the Hawks’ rise to national prominence. Millsap learned how to shoot three-pointers playing for HC Mike Budenholzer as well as becoming a Top 25 player in the NBA in Years 8 and 9. Paul has said that playing in Atlanta has been like playing with family as his fellow starting forward DeMarre Carroll is one of Millsap’s closest friends. Plus playing in the Eastern Conference is a much easier route to the NBA Finals than playing in the Wild, Wild West. Just ask the San Antonio Spurs.

Though Paul will earn more money on this contract than the one he signed with Danny Ferry back in the summer of 2013, I don’t think it’s all about the money with Millsap. Both are good situations for Paul to play in, but if I had to guess and if it were up to Paul, he stays in Atlanta.

It’s that connection with DeMarre Carroll and really the entire Hawks organization that I think brings Paul back. I think both forwards will work together to try to stay teammates. While he could earn more in other NBA cities, why would you want to walk away from what Atlanta has built these last two years? Yes, Utah would pay him just as handsomely as any team could but he would be the third most important player on the Jazz behind SF Gordon Hayward (who plays for the max) and C Rudy Gobert (who could win Defensive Player of the Year in 2016). He’d have to play third fiddle on a team he once played for.

In Atlanta, all players are stars and we love Paul Millsap just as much as we love Carroll, Kyle Korver, Al Horford, Jeff Teague, the list goes on. While Paul Millsap might have dreamt about playing alongside his younger brother growing up in Grambling, Louisiana, he has a basketball family right here in the ATL. I really hope the Hawks bring back both Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll so that the championship core remains intact. Let’s Go Hawks!

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