Atlanta Hawks president of basketball operations and general manager Dan Ferry announced today the signing of power forward Paul Millsap, according to Atlanta Hawks.com. The terms of the deal have not been released.
Millsap replaces forward Josh Smith who recently agreed to a deal with the Detroit Pistons.
Millsap played six seasons with the Utah Jazz throughout his commendable career. The Louisiana Tech product averaged 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds last season. He also contributed 15 double-doubles.
Millsap can play with his back to the basket and can be a big body to bang in the paint. He can also step out, hit the mid-range jumper and even occasionally expand his range to behind the arc.
Ferry and the Hawks had their eye on Millsap for a while according to Ferry.
“Paul was one of our top priorities entering the free agency process and we believe he is a great fit with the team and culture that we are trying to build,” said the GM. “He is a high-character individual and his toughness, high basketball IQ, and selflessness will add to our locker room and give us versatility on the court.”
“He got the call at 12:01 the night of free agency,” said Ferry during a press conference Wednesday to introduce Millsap. “He embodies the things we want in our program going forward.”
Millsap spoke about his decision to come to the Hawks during the press conference: “Everything just felt right. It felt right for me, it felt right for my family so that was the major selling point for me.”
