Paul Millsap might be saying goodbye to the Atlanta Hawks this summer.
Based on what new general manager Travis Schlenk had to say on the matter of Millsap’s free agency, it doesn’t sound like the Hawks are going to offer the star forward a maximum contract.
“We are going to make Paul our best offer,” Schlenk said, via Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Will he have better offers? I don’t know. Do we want to keep Paul? Sure. I said last week, if you are building a team with all the things I’ve said, Paul checks all those boxes. He’s a hard-worker. He’s a good guy. He’s high-character. Skilled. He does all that stuff.
“We’d like to have him. The reality is, he might get better offers than we can make him.”
Schlenk added that he’s more focused on next week’s draft rather than Millsap.
“I’m focusing on the draft rather than Paul,” Schlenk said. “It’s (being discussed) in the room but right now, No. 19 (the team’s draft pick) is the most important thing. I can tell you we want Paul. We want to keep him. He checks everything.”
The Hawks can offer Millsap more years and more money than any other team this summer, but if Schlenk is implying that he might get better offers elsewhere, that’s a good indication Atlanta won’t offer the full max.
Millsap had another solid season in Atlanta this past year with averages of 18.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 69 games. But at 32 years old, it might be wise to hold off on giving him a five-year deal that would end when he’s 37. Nevertheless, Millsap will be a wanted man this summer, whether he re-signs in Atlanta or goes elsewhere.
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