Whoever the Boston Celtics sign to help pick up the slack for losing veteran small forward Gordon Hayward in free agency, it will not be Denver Nuggets big man Paul Millsap.
The four time All-Star decided to stay with the team he spent the last three seasons of his 14-year career on Saturday afternoon, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The Monroe, Louisiana native will return to the Nuggets for a one-year, $10 million deal according to the NBA insider, ultimately passing on joining the Celtics in what would likely have been a significant role for the 35-year old power forward.
After receiving interest from over half of the league, Millsap returned to continue his Nuggets career — which began on a free-agent deal in 2017. https://t.co/eOQXEgspMZ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
The Celtics will now turn their attention to the other top prospects left on the market with a $9.2 million full taxpayer mid-level exception, a $3.6 million bi-annual exception and two trade exceptions worth $5 and $2.6 million from the Enes Kanter and Vincent Poirier trades earlier this week.
Some of the remaining targets might include big men like former Celtic Aron Baynes and Sacramento King center Harry Giles, wings like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Glen Robinson III and old friend Evan Turner, and point guards like Austin Rivers, Elfrid Payton and of course Isaiah Thomas.
With two open roster spots after the departure of Hayward, Kanter and Poirier and two more available if needed with Semi Ojeleye and Javonte Green’s deals still unguaranteed, there may well be significant changes coming yet.
