For a veteran who has played in the NBA for many years, if it comes to the end of their careers, they all want to realize their championship dreams. Some are self-reducing to join a team with the strength to rush to the championship, and some are signing the veteran's basic salary, all in order to get the championship, so as to avoid the embarrassing situation of empty hands when they retire.
The player we are going to talk about this time is very representative, he is the 37-year-old veteran Millsap who has been crowned by the fans as "Rice God". Before the trading deadline, he was also embroiled in rumors. Let's analyze it from different angles to see if Millsap can still play. Rice god into a hot commodity! The two teams are eyeing him, Nash really can't use it, can the 37-year-old veteran still realize his dream?
First, holding the net thigh but being abandoned, Nash really won't use it
In the offseason last year, if you want to say that the two teams that recruited the most veterans, one was the Lakers in the West and the other was the Nets in the East. The Lakers in the West will not say, after all, it was one of the most powerful teams on paper at that time. As for the Nets, there are three giants pressing the line, and naturally they will build a nest and attract phoenixes. Among the many veterans attracted, Millsap is one of them. For Millsap himself, joining the Nets is also self-deprecating.
In terms of Millsap's form in the 20-21 season, it is still worth enough to have 9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in an average of 20.8 minutes per game. In order to complete his dream of winning the championship, Millsap chose to sign with the Nets with the veteran base salary. If Millsap wants to make money, there's no problem getting a mini middle class. However, Millsap chose to rush the championship, but the ending at the Nets was something he never expected.
Millsap came happily, expecting a stable position here. But as the season progressed, Millsap found out that wasn't the case. Millsap stopped and played, and his average playing time per game also slipped to 11.3 minutes. In the Nets system, Millsap's shooting percentage fell to 37.6%, and his three-point shooting rate was only 22.2%. In terms of shooting percentage, Millsap has never been so messed up, except for his entire career this season, which has not been below 40%.
To put it bluntly, Nash would not use Millsap, and wasted such a long time for Mi shen. Nash has a lot of cards in his hand, and in terms of frontcourt resources, it makes many team managers envious. However, he did not put these resources in place, and he did not know when to use them. Once the manager's thinking is confused, the players will definitely be biased. Millsap was lost in the Nets system, he couldn't play his own characteristics, he didn't even know how to operate.
Second, Mi Shen can do a lot of things, is a high-quality character puzzle
Nash wasted millsap's first half of the season so much that his stats were pretty bad. Averaging 3.4 points per game, only 3.7 rebounds, and one assist, these figures can be said to be the freezing point of a career. Although every veteran has not maintained his peak form like James, it is relatively rare for Millsap to have such a cliff-like decline. Considering that this season's data is not representative, we have a lot to prove that Millsap can do with last season's data.
First of all, let's talk about offense, and his score can still hold up the scene. In terms of averages per game, the 20-21 season only has 9 points, but considering that he is rotating, this is already the icing on the cake. Millsap has the ability to play low backs on his own, which can fill the gap for many teams. Even if back-to-back play is seen as an inefficient way to score, it can still come in handy in some games and some occasions, and one more solution is better than one less.
Millsap has shots without dead ends, which benefits the team a lot, after all, such a veteran is difficult to find. Millsap hit 94 in 140 shots from 5 feet; 36 from 82 shots from within 5-9 feet; 9 from 26 shots from within 10-14 feet; 3 from 10-19 feet on 10-19 feet; 19 from 52 shots from 20-24 feet; and 30 from 91 shots from 25-29 feet.
In fact, Millsap has transformed into a finisher, and there is not much attrition of the ball. Of the 191 goals hit, 135 were assisted and only 56 were unanswered. Let's break it down again, Millsap's catch rate of 36.4%, more of the three-point line outside the ball shooting. Overall, there's no doubt that Millsap can fit into any system in terms of scoring, except that it hasn't been well utilized by the Nets this season.
We also need to note that Millsap can also pass the ball. Compared to the pivotal axis at its peak, Millsap has now conceded the ball, but that doesn't mean it won't do it. Millsap can partner with defenders and interact with players up front. Last season at the Nuggets, Millsap was another strategy point outside of Jokic, so that the team's overall passing system was completely preserved, which everyone saw.
Millsap on the defensive end also has some value, even if he looks very old now. Millsap has good defensive skills and defensive awareness, especially in the low position, which can be used as a meat shield. Defensively, Millsap's shooting percentage drops by 1.7 percentage points when he's guarding the basket at the 20-21 season. When defending within 10 feet, opponents' shooting dropped by 1.7 percentage points. However, it should also be noted that Millsap is a bit stretched when defending from 15 feet away, which is the inevitable result of his decline in athleticism.
Three or two teams are eyeing him, and the Lakers are also competitors
Millsap's lack of reuse at the Nets does not mean that he has become a complete waste of wood. Judging from the information disclosed, there are already two teams eyeing him, and the Lakers are one of Millsap's suitors. The reason why the Lakers want Millsap is mainly because their team's frontcourt is too weak. But for a team like the Lakers, Millsap is not for them at all. There are too many veterans on the team, and this season has been playing too badly, if Millsap went to the Lakers, it may end up the same as in the Nets.
In addition to the Lakers, there is another team, that is, the Upstart Bulls in the East. Compared with the Lakers, the Bulls' lineup configuration is more reasonable, and the demand for Millsap will be greater. But considering that the Nets want to send it away in a trade, and the asking price is a second-round draft pick. But the Bulls want to wait for the Nets to buy out, and don't want to send away the team's assets. To put it bluntly, the Nets want a "bride price," while the Bulls don't want to give money.
As far as the news on Millsap's side is concerned, if a buyout is reached with the Nets, he himself is more inclined to join the Bulls. The main reason for this idea is that Millsap is too suitable for bulls. The Bulls frontcourt is relatively not very crowded and requires reserve strength. More importantly, Millsap is a good point of space, once the Bulls play a small lineup, Millsap can play the fifth position, giving the Bulls one more choice.
Fourth, the difficulty of rushing the crown is getting bigger and bigger, can the 37-year-old veteran realize his dream?
At best, even if Millsap's final destination is a bull, can the 37-year-old veteran still realize his dream in the current situation? There was not much time left for Millsap, so he would be cautious. In a way, this season may be his last chance, after all, his age does not allow for further tossing and turning.
The Bulls have been tough this season, yes, and the team has shown great competitiveness. But considering that the Bulls are just emerging, it is often too difficult for such a team to achieve things in the first year or two. The Bulls have no problem making the playoffs and won't fall in the first round, but if they want to go further, they haven't reached that level yet. It often takes multiple seasons of hard work to get to the heights they deserve, just like the Bucks in recent seasons.
If Millsap wants to realize his dream of winning the championship, this season is unlikely. Of course, if the Nets can win the championship, Millsap, as a player he has played for, he will also have a championship ring, but this will not give him a championship in the honor book. In fact, whenever I see a veteran like Millsap running for the championship in the final year of his career, it is inevitable that there will be some sighs, they now lack a championship, so that they can retire perfectly.
It also shows fans the cruelty of competitive sports, with too many great players failing to win the NBA championship, and Sun star Paul is one of them. Now that Millsap has reached a crossroads in his career, what kind of fate he will usher in next, let's wait and see!
summary
No matter where Millsap's destination is, he will shine and not be ignored as he did at the Nets. Millsap and these veterans need to be respected, depending on how the manager uses it.