Aussie legend Patty Mills dispatched in $5.3m NBA trade bomb

Aussie basketball icon Patty Mills has been shipped out for the fourth time in 18 months, making a move to a star-studded NBA team.

Australian basketball legend Patty Mills has been traded for the fourth time in the past two years, with the Utah Jazz dealing the 36-year-old to the Los Angeles Clippers early Sunday morning (AEDT).

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ESPN insider Shams Charania reported the Jazz dealt big man Drew Eubanks and Mills to the playoff-contending Clippers in exchange for forward PJ Tucker, centre Mo Bamba, a future second-round draft pick and cash.

Twenty-eight-year-old Eubanks is the central piece of the deal, with the 28-20 Clippers — who have exceeded most external expectations this season — making a notable pre-deadline move to bolster their frontcourt depth amid a run towards the post-season.

The NBA trade deadline is set for Friday, February 7 at 7am (AEDT).

Patty Mills of the Boomers. Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images.

Eubanks’ current contract extends through 2025-26, and he is guaranteed to make US$5 million (AU$8 million) this season.

But for Australian followers of the sport, Mills is the focus. The 16-year, 909-game veteran guard, in limited off-the-bench action for Utah, averaged 4.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 17 games.

The Canberran has an expiring contract, making it easy for the Western Conference cellar-dwellers to include him as surrounding framework to complete the deal.

While it is unclear what sort of role Mills is slated for in Los Angeles, he is likely set for a deep bench role, with James Harden, Norman Powell, Terance Mann, Kris Dunn, Kevin Porter Jr. and Amir Coffey among the guards ahead of him in the pecking order.

Mills is guaranteed US$3.3 million — AU$5.3 million — this year, but his NBA future beyond season 2024-25 is uncertain.

His best season came in 2021-22 with the Brooklyn Nets, when he averaged 11.4 points on 40 per cent three-point shooting and 2.3 assists in a career-high 29.0 minutes per game.

Originally published as Aussie legend Patty Mills dispatched in $5.3m NBA trade bomb