Nuggets' veteran Paul Millsap talks…
Nuggets' veteran Paul Millsap talks future, free agency: "I can do it my way and still win"
Paul Millsap (4) of the Denver Nuggets hits a rebound opportunity away from Rodney Hood (5) of the Portland Trail Blazers and Zach Collins (33) during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 116-112 win on Sunday, May 5, 2019. The Denver Nuggets evened their best-of-seven series with the Portland Trail Blazers at 2-2 in game four of the teams' second round NBA playoff series at the Moda Center in Portland.
By Michael Singer | msinger@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: May 13, 2019 at 1:37 pm | UPDATED: May 13, 2019 at 7:27 pm
The pain of Sunday's Game 7 loss to Portland hadn't yet subsided, but for Paul Millsap, the business of basketball called.
The Nuggets hold a $30 million team option on the veteran forward. It's their most significant transactional decision of this upcoming offseason. Despite his diminished offensive role, Millsap was instrumental in helping lead the Nuggets deep into the second round of the playoffs.
Millsap, speaking during Monday's exit interviews, said there have been no preliminary talks about his future and he wanted to take some time following the painful loss Sunday before thinking about what he might do next season. Even though contract specifics haven't been discussed, Millsap, 34, sounded encouraged by the strides Denver made this past season.
Asked if the Nuggets' promising core offered his best chance at winning a title, Millsap quipped, "I could go to the Golden State Warriors."
But Millsap went on and elaborated on how that wouldn't be his style.
"From how I want to do it, how I want my story to be told, (this is) definitely the group that can help me do it," Millsap said. "That's definitely a dream and a goal of mine. I think it's the goal for everybody, especially the younger guys."
Joining a team like the Warriors or being a supplementary piece on LeBron James' Lakers isn't appealing to Millsap at this point in his career. He has embraced his position as a mentor to some of the younger Nuggets.
"For me, I've been a guy that everybody counted out over the years," Millsap said. "Undersized four-man. Always been doubted. That's what makes this year so special, this team was doubted throughout the whole year. We couldn't do this, we couldn't do that, we're not good enough, we're too young, blah, blah, blah …"
"We've proved everybody wrong," he continued. "For me, not really trying to prove everybody wrong, but prove to myself that I can do it my way and still win. I can do it with whoever I want to do it with. It ain't got to be the Golden State Warriors of the Lakers or whatever. I can help a young, talented team reach that goal."
Millsap averaged 14.6 points on 47 percent shooting from the field to go along with 6.7 rebounds per game in the postseason. Even though he struggled in Denver's final two losses, shooting just 7 for 28, his averages against the Blazers were even better. He averaged 17.4 points and nearly nine rebounds a game throughout the seven-game series.
He spoke often throughout the postseason about what Denver's run meant to him and the position he found himself in as a veteran voice.
"Taking a step in a leadership role, taking the next step in helping (to guide) these other guys to be pros," Millsap said. "I'm not one to look at age or anything and say, 'Hey, I've peaked or anything like that.' To me, I feel like I had a really good year. Despite points, rebounds, whatever, you look a little bit deeper, it shows. I'm proud of that effort, too."
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Mike Singer is the Denver Nuggets beat writer for The Denver Post. A Cleveland native, he is also the former NBA editor at USA TODAY. He previously covered the Chicago Bulls for CSNChicago.com and worked at CBSSports.com.