NBA 2024: Patty Mills handed NBA lifeline to foster next-gen of guards
A great Paris campaign has been pivotal in legendary Boomer Patty Mills securing an NBA lifeline as he is set to suit up for his 16th season in the league.
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Legendary Boomer Patty Mills’ experience of basketball’s highs and lows across a glittering NBA and international career will be an invaluable influence in Utah’s locker-room.
Mills is set to suit up for a 16th season in the NBA after franking his explosive scoring effort in Paris into a one-year deal with the Jazz.
On Monday, the five-time Olympian, Australia’s second-leading scorer in Paris at 16.5 points per game, reportedly signed a US$3.3 million deal to join a sixth NBA club.
The just-turned 36-year-old occupies Utah’s 15th and final roster spot and, as with last season where he played just 32 games for Atlanta and Miami, Mills can expect to be used sparingly as guard depth or a sharpshooting bench spark plug.
The veteran Tokyo bronze medalist’s real value lies heavily in his ability to equip Utah’s young guard pair Keyonte George (20) and Isaiah Collier (19) with the money-can’t-buy advice and tricks of the trade he’s garnered through nearly two decades in the sport.
Former Boomer and Dallas NBA man Ryan Broekhoff said NBA teams valued experienced, successful veterans like Mills.
“Patty has done enough in the NBA for teams to know who he is,” Broekhoff said.
“He’s a solid vet for a young team.
“I wouldn’t expect a heap of playing time for him there as (Jordan) Clarkson fills his role as the scoring punch off the bench.”
Mills already has a relationship with Utah head coach Will Hardy, who was an assistant under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio across six seasons of the 188cm guard’s stint with the Spurs.
Traded three times last off-season, Mills averaged just 4 points per game - the fewest since his 2009-10 rookie campaign in - in 13 minutes per game.
Yet to call time on his own international career, the NBA lifeline could be a sign Mills believes he’s not yet done in the green and gold.
The Jazz have had a long love affair with Aussie basketballers with Mills following fellow Boomers great and best mate Joe Ingles, who made his name across eight seasons in Salt Lake City, and bronzed teammate Dante Exum, who was Utah’s top draft pick in 2014.
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