With the Hawks season now over, Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll ready to enter free agency.
Two-fifths of the starting lineup that lost in the Eastern Conference Finals will hit the open market come July. There will be suitors for the services of both players, who vastly improved their game and profile while playing in Atlanta. After signing with the Hawks for only two years in 2013 both must become unrestricted free agents according to the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The Hawks would like to re-sign Millsap, a two-time All-Star here. The power forward will likely receive attention from several teams.
The sting of a four-game sweep in the conference finals was still fresh minutes after the Hawks’ 118-88 Game 4 loss to the Cavaliers Tuesday night when Millsap was asked about his future.
“I think looking at different options, looking at this team, looking at what we’ve built thus far, in weight my options I can’t make a decision right now,” Millsap said. “It’s been a long series, a long year, for me and the team. Let things die down, cool off, relax and think about it a little bit. We are a family. This team is close. It will play a lot into the decision.”
Jeff Teague, seated next Millsap, was asked if he will try to persuade his teammate to return.
“I enjoyed every moment playing with him,” Teague said. “He made me a better player. I think he enjoyed being around all the guys, him and (fellow unrestricted free agent) DeMarre (Carroll). I’m looking forward for them to be back and take another crack at it.”
Millsap figures to get a significant raise from the $19 million deal he signed with the Hawks. He averaged 17.3 points and 8.1 rebounds with the team.
Carroll spoke from in front of his locker after the loss and said his “priority is to go to the Hawks.” Later he added “In the end my agent is going to do all the work. He understands then situation for me. Right now, I’m a Hawk until the Hawks don’t want me any more – that’s the way I look at it.”
Carroll will get a significant pay raise, especially considering the Hawks got him for $5 million over two seasons. Carroll could make near $10 million a season after this performance, offensively and defensively, in the second half of the year. He was the team’s leading postseason scorer until he suffered a left knee sprain in Game 1 of the conference finals. He averaged 11.8 points and 5.4 rebounds as a Hawks player.
“Money’s definitely going to be a big part of it,” Carroll said of his decision. “But you have to look at the city, look at the team, where can I excel most at my position. Can I be a big part of the moves?”
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer did not want to speculate about the future of his team, including the two key players, minutes after the season-ending loss Tuesday.
“I don’t think tonight is appropriate,” Budenholzer said in part when asked what the Hawks would need to get to the next level. “But I will say that this is a hell of a group and to bring them back would be a huge priority.”
