There is a paycheck – a rather large one – which Paul Millsap is ready to earn.
The $20 million man signed a three-year deal, which includes a player option, as an unrestricted free agent this summer to return to the Hawks. The total deal is worth approximately $60 million. Day one on the job was Tuesday when the Hawks opened training camp at the University of Georgia.
“I don’t think so,” Millsap said when asked if his role will change now that he is the highest-paid Hawk. “I think maybe I can step it up a little more as far as my play and being more of a vocal leader. As far as changing, no. My job is to go out there and play basketball, make the right decisions and help lead this team.”
Millsap was the best Hawks player the past two season, making the All-Star team each year, and often carrying the team from his power forward position. That was especially the case two season ago when Al Horford was lost to a season-ending torn pectoral muscle. With the two healthy last season, the Hawks had a record-breaking year and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in franchise history. However, they were swept in four games and quickly denied a trip to the NBA Finals.
You can sense Millsap still has a little edge to him when speaking of the way last season ending. Millsap suffered a shoulder injury late in the season and, once again, denied it had an impact on the way he played in the postseason.
“Whether I was (injured) or not, the job didn’t get done,” Millsap said. “We fell a little short.”
That’s as far back as Millsap wants to go.
Millsap said he spent the summer working on his all-around game. He was disappointed in his 35 percent 3-point field goal percentage, a number that dropped to 30 percent in the playoffs. He felt he turned the ball over too much, averaging 2.3 per game. As a team, he wants to see the Hawks be a better rebounders, part of his job description. The offense, especially in the postseason, can always improve.
“In the playoffs, which is a totally different season, our numbers went down offensively,” Millsap said. “That was because teams were taking things away from us. Through this training camp and this season, we have to do a better job of executing, getting to our second and third layer of offense.
“It’s that detailed. On exterior, we have all the bells and whistles. We are good. I think if we dig a little deeper we can find some flaws we need to get better at.”
Millsap will play a major role in the team’s continued improvement. He is one of the leaders. Coach Mike Budenholzer said he hasn’t seen Millsap put any undue pressure on himself after the franchise committed significant resources to keep him in Atlanta.
“First of all, Paul had a good practice,” Budenholzer said. “He had a little extra juice I think. He has earned everything he’s gotten. As far as leadership, we want more from him. We want more from Jeff (Teague), Al (Horford), Kyle (Korver). That group, it’s going to be even more important that they show more leadership anytime, in practice, games, when things are going well, when things are a struggle. I think Paul feels a lot of responsibility but I think he’s shown that the last couple of years too.”
The 29-year-old Millsap averaged 17.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks in 147 regular-season games with the Hawks. He is determined that he and the Hawks will be better after last season. Does that mean 60 wins again? That remains to be seen. However, Millsap is positive about the offseason additions, the return of a core group and lessons learned.
“You can learn something from losses, wins, an unsuccessful season, a successful season,” Millsap said. “We build off we did last year. Whether we win 60 games or not, you build your habits back and get better that way. It may not be 60 wins, but you get better as a team. We know what we need to do to get better and we are going to do that.”
About the Author
