CP3 Mega Trade could effect Suns’ FA plans
By Adam Maynes
The Paul Millsap Rumor
Bleacher Report discussed earlier this afternoon that the Houston Rockets may look to supplement their roster with Paul Millsap if Paul George (or potentially Carmelo Anthony) does not join Harden and Paul. If Millsap does end up choosing Houston as his next destination, and the rumor that Millsap was a target of Phoenix’s is true, then Ryan McDonough may have to go back to the drawing board with his offseason plans.
How likely is it that the Rockets and Millsap choose one another?
While Paul George is an interesting addition, not only is there the continued belief that as soon as he is eligible he will sign with the Los Angeles Lakers making him a very short-term addition, there is something to be said that Millsap might actually be the best fit of the three.
Millsap is not a ball demanding player who would fight for touches with Paul and Harden. (Not only does George need the ball in his hands to be most effective, Anthony appears to be the worst player possible to this potential superteam.) The Rockets are presumably going to run lot’s of pick and rolls, and Millsap would only need to have the ball in his hand for the split second he is open on a stop and pop or on a slash toward the rim. Either way, he is not an offensive instigator and only has to wait for the ball-handler to make their decision.
But almost more importantly, Millsap is a very good defensive power forward which paired up with Nene would give the Rockets a very solid low-post defensive combination. We need not even discussion Anthony’s poor defense which with Harden would potentially create the worst defensive wing pairing of all-time, but even though Paul George is probably regarded as a better defensive player than Millsap, his lack of size would prevent him from guarding those power forwards down low that Millsap regularly has his way with.
Having George and Paul at the wing would be great when a game evolves into a three-point shooting contest. But anytime a guard drives or a wing slashes, he would need to give way to the front court defender meaning that Houston would still be porous in those instances.
In every case, advantage Millsap.