Paul Millsap signed as a free agent in Brooklyn to have a role on a title contender. It hasn’t worked out that way, with Millsap largely out of the rotation — he has played in one game in January, in part due to COVID protocols — with Blake Griffin and James Johnson getting the majority of the run off the bench at the four.
That led to the Nets agreeing to find Millsap a new team before the trade deadline, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Forward Paul Millsap and the Brooklyn Nets have agreed to find the four-time All-Star a new team where he can have a greater contribution, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 21, 2022
It is possible the Nets waive Millsap and he signs elsewhere, although because the Nets are in the tax they would prefer to trade him. Because Millsap is on a minimum contract and this is a mutual agreement, the Nets would get a heavily protected second-round pick back for him. This is just about getting him where he wants to be, not the pick.
Millsap, about to turn 37, might still be able to help a contender in a limited role as a backup small-ball center. This offseason he was courted by Golden State and Chicago as well as Brooklyn; those teams could still be potential options, although minutes would be limited there as well. His representatives may talk to other teams seeking depth at the four or five.