Paul Millsap is not angry.
Perhaps the Hawks’ power forward would have held a grudge after his employer spent several days looking to trade its three-time All-Star. Rumor after rumor involving team after team surfaced as the team took a “long, hard look” at moving their best player well ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
Millsap was in the middle of it all.
However, on Monday the Hawks began informing teams that Millsap was no longer on the market. All speculation could end.
Millsap breathed a sigh of relief.
“It means a lot,” said Millsap after he was informed he would not be traded because he was too valuable to the Hawks. “But knowing the basketball and knowing the bigness of it, you knew what they were looking at. You knew what they were trying to get. Pretty much seeing what was out there. I’m not mad for that because that’s business. I’m valuable to them. It means a lot.”
Millsap spoke before the Hawks played at the Nets on Tuesday night and attempted to win their seventh consecutive game and 12 of their past 16.
It was tough, Millsap acknowledged, to wake up each morning and hear the latest rumor. He worked hard to keep his focus on basketball. But he is human, and it was difficult to completely block out all the noise. He said it feels good to have it all behind him.
Millsap said last week, amid the trade talk, that his heart was in Atlanta. He made it clear he wanted to stay. It was something he conveyed to the Hawks.
“I think they knew where I stood all along,” Millsap said. “It means a lot to me, this organization, this community. I’m happy to be here. I’m happy to be playing for this organization. I meant what I said.”
Millsap, who turns 32 next month, said he was told by several people in the organization that he was no longer on the trade block. He did, after some prodding, acknowledge that one of them was president of basketball operations and head coach Mike Budenholzer. The two had many conversations during the saga.
“He is a great player,” Budenholzer said. “He’s someone who means a lot to our franchise and organization. I think him staying a part of this group and pushing forward this year is important to us.”
Much of the speculation surrounding Millsap came down to two factors. He clearly is the best Hawks player, as he ranks tied for the team lead in scoring and second in rebounding, assists, steals and blocks. The Hawks figured to get a decent return for a player of his caliber. In addition, he has a player option for next season and can opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent. Even with the uncertainty of being able to re-sign him long term, many teams were interested.
The Hawks could lose Millsap in the offseason without anything in return — as happened last season with Al Horford. However if Millsap does sign elsewhere, the Hawks would have in excess of $20 million to spend on another player.
“It’s what I wanted all along,” Millsap said. “It’s a sigh of relief to know that nothing is going to happen. I can focus on basketball, focus on getting this team to the playoffs and, hopefully, get a championship.”
The Hawks traded Kyle Korver this weekend. It was thought to be the first of several moves, along with Millsap, as the organization moved toward a youth movement before the Feb. 23 trade deadline. The Hawks have had conversations with other teams that included Thabo Sefolosha and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Budenholzer would not commit to the future of other players on the roster now that a firm decision has been made regarding Millsap.
“Teams are always trying to figure out how to get better,” Budenholzer said. “But with Paul, it’s important for us and for our group to understand how important he is to us.”
