Mills joins Spurs’ Green as restricted free agent

As reported over a week ago, San Antonio Spurs guard Patrick Mills was leaning toward opting into free agency on July 1. Well it seems Mills will join the Spurs’ free agent list of Tim Duncan, Boris Diaw, James Anderson, and Danny Green, reports Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News.

Although Mills is a free agent, he’ll be in Green’s boat as both will become restricted free agents on the open market, meaning the Spurs can match any offer sheet given to the two players in free agency if San Antonio so chooses. Mills is set to make a little less than a million dollars this coming season and he had an impact-ful short regular season, as he led the Spurs to back-to-back wins in their last two games of the regular season.

Mills wasn’t a major part of the playoff rotation for the Spurs, but if San Antonio is able to retain him, he could get more minutes next season becoming the regular backup to point guard Tony Parker. Mills is currently in Australia training with the national team as they prepare for the 2012 London Olympic games, where he’s being coached by Spurs Assistant coach Brett Brown.

Mills’ stock may have rose with some big performances he put up in the regular season with the Spurs to help them achieve a 10-game winning streak going into the NBA playoffs, but with rumor swirling of French guard Nando De Colo possibly coming this next season, Mills could have some competition in the Spurs’ backcourt if he remains with the team.