The Hawks paid big to keep Paul Millsap.
The early returns show that the power forward has been worth every penny.
After two All-Star seasons in Atlanta, Millsap became an unrestricted free agent last summer. He listened to offers and narrowed his choices to the Hawks and the Magic. He stayed in Atlanta with a three-year, $59 million contract that includes a player option in the final season. He is the Hawks’ top-paid player by more than $6.5 million.
Through the first 21 games, Millsap leads the Hawks in scoring (18.4 points), rebounds (9.6), steals (1.9) and minutes played (36:53). He ranks second only to the two point guards in assists (3.6). He clearly has been the Hawks’ best player even as they struggle through an inconsistent first quarter of the NBA season.
Millsap knows what comes with the paycheck. It’s more than just the statistics. To slightly alter an old adage — with great wealth comes great responsibility. The not-always-vocal Millsap is working his way into a leadership role with the team.
“It’s definitely where I’m at in my career, but there is more responsibility that comes with the contract,” Millsap said about his leadership. “I take it upon myself. I should have been a better leader last year and the year before that. It’s a learning process.”
The 30-year-old Millsap said he feels no added pressure to become an effective leader. The veteran is entering his 10th NBA season. Just as he was worked to perfect his game on the basketball court over the years, he has worked to be the right voice for teammates off it.
“I feel like I can be a good leader,” he said. “It’s just figuring it out, being put in that situation, learning as you go-type thing, different personalities. It’s all something I have to learn, something I have to get better at. I take that responsibility. I take it to heart.”
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said that he encouraged the understated Millsap to continue to build leadership skills. He added that Millsap has “embraced” the role.
While Millsap works to be more vocal, his numbers have spoken loudly this season.
Millsap scored in double-figures in 20 of the first 21 games. He had 10 double-doubles, including five 20-point, 10-rebound games. He had 26 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and one steal against the Thunder on Monday. He is the only player in the NBA this season to have at least that stat line in a game.
Millsap is the only player in the league averaging at least 18.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks.
Entering Thursday’s NBA schedule, Millsap ranked 25th in points, 10th in steals, 11th in rebounds, 34th in blocks and 40th in shooting percentage.
“He is very unique, and hopefully we appreciate him for how unique and good he is,” Budenholzer said. “He is a guy who does so many things on both ends of the court. I think he really is a facilitator for us. We ask our bigs to make a lot of decisions, a lot of reads. He moves the ball. He finds open teammates. He scores. Defensively he has great hands, great anticipation.”
Millsap has made a commitment to help the Hawks’ rebounding. Over the past nine games (before Friday), he had 94 rebounds, including 40 on the offensive glass. On several rebounds, Millsap tore the ball from an opponents’ hands.
Following a win over the Grizzlies last week, Kyle Korver noted that Millsap showed signs of being the offensive rebounder he was when the two were teammates with the Jazz. Millsap had his best rebounding seasons during his first seven seasons in Utah.
“He played like a monster out there tonight,” Korver said of Millsap’s 23-point, 14-rebound game in a 116-101 road win. “I told him he looked like old Utah Paul out there getting offensive rebounds. We keep on leaning on him, and he keeps on coming through for us.”
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