The Millsap dilemma

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

I've heard that Millsap is against coming off the bench, but if he knows he will continue to get over 30 minutes it could work. He may not like it at first, but I think it could grow on him getting 30 plus and finishing the game on the court. In my opinion the Jazz biggest area of need is the bench Millsap would go a long way to making it a strength. Trading Millsap I now believe would be a bad idea, unless someone offers a trade we can't refuse.

 

[One Brow]

We don't need Millsap to play more than 7-10 minutes a game at SF in order to get everybody their minutes and starts.

Starting a guy at a position that he's only going to play 7-10 minutes totals wreaks havoc on your rotation. Assuming your 1st and 3rd quarter starters are the same, who do you pull after 3-5 minutes? It's easy enough to work in if he is starting at a different position, but unless Favors gets lazy over the summer, Millsap doesn't start next year at PF.

If we really have aspirations to be a championship, or even contending, team, we need to have bench players that could start on lesser teams. Millsap is a natural choice for that role. If he doesn't want to fill it, then we should do him the favor of sending him where he wants to go. Wrecking our rotation to keep him does no tmake sense.

 

[mfree]

Everyone seems to have strong opinions about Millsap. Statements of fact abound on both sides...

Good, but not good enough to start on a winning team
Too slow to guard SF's
Too short to guard PF's
Must come off the bench
Must start

The fact is that no team has the perfect player at every position. Millsap is versatile, and very good. Two years ago the statement of fact was that he had no range or outside shot... Now he does.
I remember a time two years ago where Jerry Sloan had him switch late in a game to guard a star SF, and he shut him down to win the game. (Wish I could remember who it was, but I remember thinking it wasn't going to work and being wrong).
He is not a perfect player. There are really only a couple of them in the league at any given time, so trading him for any of the above reasons (facts), seems a bit silly.

The only possible reason to trade him is that he is so valuable you could get a haul in return. I think the Jazz would have to be blown away to consider it. You certainly don't trade him for a middle of the road player who happens to play a position that appears to be a greater need at the moment. Those needs change. Don't overreact to them.

The man is a leader and example to the younger players. Keep him and let him play!!!

 

[Justys]

Sap can play SF against maybe half of the teams in the league, at best. He is not a starter on an upper tier team. I love Sap and love his game but he is a 6th man.

Repped and agree!

 

[green]

The only possible reason to trade him is that he is so valuable you could get a haul in return. I think the Jazz would have to be blown away to consider it. You certainly don't trade him for a middle of the road player who happens to play a position that appears to be a greater need at the moment. Those needs change. Don't overreact to them.

The man is a leader and example to the younger players. Keep him and let him play!!!

I think everybody agrees with you. Is Millsap perfect? Nope. Is he a very good role player? Yep. If you can get a solid wing player for him, do you move him? Absolutely. If the Jazz could get a SF/SG that plays good defense and shoots 40% from three for Millsap, then Millsap should be gone. If not, he should still be here.

 

[VINYLONE]

I would have no issues dealing Millsap if it returned someone of great value. Like others, I think Millsap would have a problem coming off the bench and that bothers me.

 

[GVC]

I would have no issues dealing Millsap if it returned someone of great value. Like others, I think Millsap would have a problem coming off the bench and that bothers me.

Do you think Big Al would have a problem coming off the bench?

 

[Justys]

I would have no issues dealing Millsap if it returned someone of great value. Like others, I think Millsap would have a problem coming off the bench and that bothers me.

Repped-And I think that if Millsap can work on being a sf for15 minutes a game to give Favors more playing time. Im cool with it. But if hes not willing to try Sf and not willing to come off the bench. Trade him and trade him now. I still like the Idea of trying to trade him and our 12th pick to Denver for Gallenari, Ty Lawson, and Gary Forbes. Then use the 6th pick on the best avble big or resign AK to be the backup 3 and 4. And start this rebuilding with a true SF. Every piece would be in place especially if we got a big like Enes.

Lawson Harris
Hayward Forbes
Gallenari Miles
Favors AK
Jefferson Enes

Has shooters and decent bigs and I think would be a great team next year~!

 

[Justys]

Do you think Big Al would have a problem coming off the bench?

I like MIllsap coming off the bench, just to add a little more size to Utah starting frontline.

 

[GVC]

That wasn't my question.

 

[VINYLONE]

Do you think Big Al would have a problem coming off the bench?

I would hope not....but the answer is probably yes.

 

[GVC]

I would hope not....but the answer is probably yes.

So why are these stupid questions about coming off the bench only asked about Paul?

There are very few things that Big Al does better than Paul Millsap on the basketball court.

 

[kyjazzfan]

Millsap reminds me a little of Artest (only with a great attitude) in style of play, so I think he'll be fine at SF once he gets used to it.

 

[GVC]

If Sap can't defend the 3, I'd still rather have a starting frontcourt of Favors/Millsap than AJ/Favors.

Plain and simple.

And there's no way in hell Big Al is playing the 3.

 

[billyshelby]

So why are these stupid questions about coming off the bench only asked about Paul?

There are very few things that Big Al does better than Paul Millsap on the basketball court.

I disagree with this. Sap is never going to have Al's post game. For that matter, few players will. He can be a machine in there if we can get him straightened out. The first part of the program is pretty basic -- he needs to get better position in the post. Part of that is Al. The other part is schematic -- screens to get him the ball in low. When Al struggles, it's because he's 10 feet away. When he gets the ball at 6-8 feet, he's pretty deadly.

Yes, he's not a great passer. But I'm optimistic he can develop that part of his game for 2 reasons. One, he never played in a system before. Two, we were horrific this year sending cutters through the lane. The offense gave up at the 14 second mark of nearly every clock.

Al might prove me wrong, but I honestly think he's going to another level in his game next year.

 

[VINYLONE]

So why are these stupid questions about coming off the bench only asked about Paul?

There are very few things that Big Al does better than Paul Millsap on the basketball court.

Stupid? Whoa. Bro. I thought we were having a friendly conversation here duder?

 

[GVC]

Two, we were horrific this year sending cutters through the lane. The offense gave up at the 14 second mark of nearly every clock.

There is no mystery why this was the case. Everyone was waiting for Big Al to shoot or lob a pass out to reset the offense. Cutters just get in the way of Big Al in the post.

How does having superior post moves make up for Big Al's lack of versatility, BBall IQ and physicality? The Jazz offense was better with Paul on the floor this year than it was with Big Al on the floor, and it should be pretty damn obvious why that's the case.

 

[billyshelby]

There is no mystery why this was the case. Everyone was waiting for Big Al to shoot or lob a pass out to reset the offense. Cutters just get in the way of Big Al in the post.

How does having superior post moves make up for Big Al's lack of versatility, BBall IQ and physicality? The Jazz offense was better with Paul on the floor this year than it was with Big Al on the floor, and it should be pretty damn obvious why that's the case.

I don't see Al as lacking versatility or BB IQ. He can play 4 or 5 like a lot of 4's and 5's. As to IQ, he had to absorb a ton of new stuff this year, and just as he was getting it the team imploded. His rebounding is an issue.

This argument ISN'T Sap vs. Al. They're both good. The argument should be what offense would most effectively make use of Al's post game. As just one example, Zach Randolph is a machine in the post and a terrible passer. You can win with him, though. And I think Al can be better than Zach.

 

[NAOS]

Starting a guy at a position that he's only going to play 7-10 minutes totals wreaks havoc on your rotation. Assuming your 1st and 3rd quarter starters are the same, who do you pull after 3-5 minutes? It's easy enough to work in if he is starting at a different position, but unless Favors gets lazy over the summer, Millsap doesn't start next year at PF.

If we really have aspirations to be a championship, or even contending, team, we need to have bench players that could start on lesser teams. Millsap is a natural choice for that role. If he doesn't want to fill it, then we should do him the favor of sending him where he wants to go. Wrecking our rotation to keep him does no tmake sense.

You could yank any number of players after 5 minutes (which, IMO, is a perfectly acceptable time to make your first substitution). You could pull the 3, 4, or 5. (insert DWill2 at SF and slide Paul over?!?!?!?!?!)

I'd also hope that Millsap could close games at SF (depending on matchups and foul trouble). Remember, I'm only suggesting 7-10 minutes as a minimum.

I realize that this issue is magnified for a box-score peeper.

 

[GVC]

IThis argument ISN'T Sap vs. Al. They're both good.

I disagree.