Report: Patty Mills to test free agency
According to a report from the Australian site TheAge.com (H/T Starting5.com), San Antonio Spurs reserve point guard Patty Mills will most likely be opting out of the final year of his contract and test the free agent market. Mills has until June 25 to opt out of his contract and here is what he told the Age.
''I feel like I need to do my due diligence and really go and see what there is to make sure I explore every option,'' Mills said.
''But in saying that, I really enjoy being in San Antonio and being part of that program. I definitely want it done soon and that is what I'm trying to do so that I can get it out of the way and go to London with a clear head with the Boomers.''
Mills is set to make a little less than a million dollars this coming season with the Spurs, and he may have increased his stock in free agency with his superb play off the bench in the 16 games he played with San Antonio in the regular season. Mills averaged 10.3 points while shooting 49% from the field, and 43% from 3-point range.
He wasn't a major part of the Spurs' playoff rotation but showed he can put up points in a hurry with his regular season performances. In the last two games of the regular season, the Spurs' "big three" of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker all didn't play and rested for the playoffs. Mills led the team to back-to-back wins where he scored 27 points against the Phoenix Suns and 34 points against the Golden State Warriors.
According to the report, Mills is trying to get his NBA situation wrapped up as soon as possible so he can focus on the Olympics where he'll be coached by Spurs assistant coach Brett Brown and leading the Australian National team at the 2012 games.
Keep Mills, drop Bonner, skip Lorbek. We don't need slow and undersized again. Diaw will be adequate for stretching the floor. We need a mid range shooting big who can rebound, run the floor and block shots. Lorbek is not the guy. A year or 2 ago when the Lakers and Mav's where the main competition, we could have used a Bonner upgrade, but Memphis and OKC are now the challenge and these match ups with slower, almost big guys don't help. TD is already too slow to cover a mid range big , so why would we need another.
How about Bonner and Blair for Tyrus Thomas, or just Blair for A. Randolph, or several of them for J Thompson, etc We need quickness now, Memphis and OKC clogged the lane and used there athleticism to cover perimeter shooters. Most of our guys have a slow release, so this works. Stretch 4's become almost useless, unless they can drive to the rim. Bonner and Lorbek are not these guys. Next best is the McDyess type who can dunk off the dribble, run the court and block shots. D Arthur burned us in 2011, Ibaka and Collison in 2012, so why not try to get Speights or Arthur. They Thompson are all around the 3-4 mil level, just over the Bonner amnesty level. Some one will pay 2-3 mil for Bonner, so another 1-2 mil gets us some mid range shooting and athleticism, while we wait to see if Richards pans out or .... Notice that only the Lakers are depending on Big as a strength. Even the Clips and the Jazz had to go smaller to compete . Memphis was too slow and got beaten by small front court guys.
@24writer Where do you stand on using amnesty on Bonner? Frees up $3.5 million, gets the cap space to $14 million-ish.
@yowhatupT I like that move, but I don't think they do it unless they know they're getting Duncan-Diaw back, and bringing over Lorbek
@24writer I definitely think they'll try to move him if they know Lorbek is coming over. They'd be a little redundant as far as team role.
@normalguyguide No problem. Lorbek will be an excellent addition. The most versatile European PF with amazing long range shooting ability.
@normalguyguide In Barcelona there are 12 equal players, so players normally play just 20 min per game. Calculate that. @yowhatupT
@normalguyguide Euroleague isn't some circus league like NBA where players are forcing shots and doing whatever they want. @yowhatupT
@normalguyguide For like $3 million bucks, it's worth a shot after Bonner crapped the bed again this postseason.
@normalguyguide Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting he come in as their new starting center, but he can shoot 3's & score down low a lil
@normalguyguide Yep... games aren't as long and even the stars barely play 30 minutes a game. Just won MVP for his league Finals.
@BigRedinTejas @yowhatupT Apparently so. Dude scored 10 points in the final and was named MVP.
@normalguyguide I'd re-frame that statement as "Anytime you can get one of the 2 best big men in Europe for $3 mil a year you have to do it
@yowhatupT I def think Bonner's trade bait, especially on draft night, but don't see many takers unless more players part of package
@normalguyguide @yowhatupT I was thinking either Bonner at Florida, or Lorbek when he played at MSU
@yowhatupT @24writer Hey anytime you can get a guy who averaged 6ppg in college, you have to take that chance.
