NBA veteran point guard Patty Mills is set to be traded for a third time in 10 days, and he could move again before the summer is over.
According to ESPN, the Oklahoma City Thunder will ship Mills to the Atlanta Hawks for Rudy Gay, TyTy Washington, Usman Garuba and a second-round pick. That's after he was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Houston Rockets, and from Houston to Oklahoma City.
Mills, a productive 3-point specialist for many years, has been reduced to an accounting number this offseason. His $6.8 million expiring contract carries value because it will open up cap room next summer, when Jaylen Brown, Pascal Siakam and Kristaps Porzingis could hit the open market.
Atlanta are more likely to need cash in 2024 than Oklahoma City, a small market team that struggles to attract free agents and prefers to amass draft picks. Here's what to know about the latest Mills deal...
Mills turned to trade bait
The 34-year-old had only played for three organisations before this summer: the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs and Brooklyn Nets. He made a name for himself as a positive locker-room presence and knockdown outside shooter, hitting 38.9 per cent of his attempts beyond the arc in his career.
Legendary head coach Gregg Popovich is a well-known fan of Mills. When the player left the Spurs, he offered a touching tribute in a farewell video.
"We didn't know what we were getting, really, when we got him," Popovich said. "As a basketball player, he's gone off the charts with development. But as a human being and as a member of our society and a leader on our team, he's been fantastic. He embodies empathy, awareness, [and] an ability to be actionable after he speaks about things.
"He's a very special human being, he's doing things to try and make the world a better place. It's been a thrill to watch him grow from just a guy who got signed and didn't really have a role or wasn't sure whether he was going to stay in the league or make it or anything like that."
But Mills' reduced role in 2022-23 and contract situation have altered how teams treat him. He logged his lowest minutes per game in 12 years (14.2 minutes per game) and now appears near the end of his NBA career.
Oklahoma City snag high-upside return
The Thunder didn't have a role available to Mills, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe leading a crowded backcourt. They probably don't have a roster spot for Gay, either, and may now swap him to another organisation.
Washington and Garuba, though, are recent first-round draft picks who will get a chance to make the team or potentially sign a two-way contract. While Washington struggled last season, Garuba provided energy off the Rockets' bench and has an opportunity to earn minutes on a Thunder squad desperate for more inside defence.
Remember that second-round pick they'll get; general manager Sam Presti has accumulated a whopping 35 draft picks for the next seven years, setting the club up for sustained success.
