NBA Free Agency: Nuggets bringing back Paul Millsap for next season

The Denver Nuggets have picked up Paul Millsap’s $30.3 million option for the 2019-2020 season, and it was a no-brainer for the team.

There really wasn’t any doubt that the Denver Nuggets would bring back Paul Millsap.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nuggets have picked up Millsap’s third-year option worth $30.3 million, assuring that a big part of their core will be back in the Mile High City for at least the 2019-2020 season.

Most of the Nugget team that won 54 games in the 2018-19 season are under contract to run it back next season, so all that was left for Denver’s front brass to do was to ensure that Millsap would be back in the fold, which they promptly will do once free agency opens for business on Sunday.

It was a no-brainer for the Nuggets to bring back Millsap, who averaged 12.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per night last season. Granted, those aren’t nearly the same numbers he was putting up when he was a member of the Hawks, but his veteran leadership on a young Denver squad has proven to be invaluable.

While some Denver fans will, undoubtedly, be a bit upset with the Nuggets picking up Millsap’s option, it was needed to keep this core group, who came to within a game of the Western Conference Finals, intact.

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And it’s not like the Nuggets don’t have some money to spend to improve their loaded roster. Denver still has its $9.2 million mid-level exception and, as a bonus, will still be under the salary cap, so picking up Millsap’s option wasn’t the drain on their spending account as some fans may have thought.

With Millsap now aboard for the 2019-2020 season, the Nuggets are looking to be the top dogs in a loaded Western Conference again, and really, you would be insane to place your bet against this entertaining squad.