Trade Rumor: Brooklyn Nets might make a play for Paul Millsap

Paul+Millsap

Nothing is imminent, but the Brooklyn Nets could make a play for Paul Millsap of the Utah Jazz at the trade deadline, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports.

Millsap, 27, has averaged 17.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per 36 minutes in 40 games for the Jazz so far this year. He’s becoming unhappy lately as he has lost time to Derrick Favors and, to a lesser extent, Enes Kanter. He earns $8.6 million this season and will be an unrestricted free agent in July.

With the Nets operating above the hard cap trading for him at the deadline, or even signing him as a free agent this offseason, would be tricky. It’s possible they could trade for him to acquire his “Bird Rights” in order to sign him to a long-term deal this offseason.

In a related Tweet, Peter Vecsey of the NY Post, said that it seems unlikely the Nets would be able to swap Kris Humphries for Millsap at the deadline because of Hump’s two-year, $24 million contract which the Jazz won’t go for. Eventually Vecsey Tweeted that the Nets are unlikely to make any deals this season unless they can figure out how to land Rudy Gay from the Grizzlies.