Well that didn’t take lone.
Veteran Aussie sharp-shooter Patty Mills has landed on a new NBA team less than five days after becoming a free agent; he was waived by the Atlanta Hawks and joins none other than the Miami Heat.
It’s been a significant week for the 35-year-old, who had faced a considerable reduction in playing time this season with the Eastern Conference outfit that’s struggled to keep pace with the league’s heavyweights.
The Atlanta Hawks are waiving guard Patty Mills, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The 15-year veteran is shooting 38.2 percent from 3-point range in a limited role this season. pic.twitter.com/6Pdxbz3Kxp
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 29, 2024
The Boomers star guard has contributed to several NBA franchises over his illustrious 15-year career that stretches 879 games, but the production and opportunities have been on the decline the last few seasons.
Mills did not see consistent floor action until mid-January and most recently appeared in just one of Atlanta’s nine past games. It was 19 appearances in total this season.
Atlanta acted just ahead of the NBA’s March 1 deadline for waiving players to make them playoff eligible for new teams — a sign he’s still confident he can contribute on a contending team. The Hawks obliged and it meant Mills was free to find a team interested in what he brings to the table.
Patty Mills joins Miami Heat for rest of season
After becoming a free agent, the Aussie guard agreed to a deal with last year’s championship runner-up, Miami. The Heat are undoubtedly chasing another run to the Finals, looking to go one better.
At the time of the transaction, the Heat sit sixth in the East. But it’s worth remembering the franchise, like last year, will back its ability to scratch and claw from any Playoff seeding.
Mills adds key experience to a roster that’s led by Jimmy Butler, who famously finds a new gear in the postseason, along with juggernaut big man Bam Adebayo.
The Boomers great has 95 NBA Playoff games under his belt, which will no doubt be leveraged by Miami and coach Erik Spoelstra.
Patty Mills won the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award in 2022 and is widely considered as one of the best teammates and leaders in basketball, which means he’ll no doubt fit the franchise’s well-known ‘Heat Culture’.
Where could Patty Mills do next season?
Right across Patty Mills’ career, he’s averaged 8.9 points and 2.2 assists per game in the NBA. They’re handy numbers, pending whether a team believes he still has some of that production left in him.
The Australian’s long range accuracy is no doubt a factor that will draw interest from teams desiring another rotational guard that can knock down threes in spurts and isn’t overawed by the big moments.
His experience cannot be ignored as well; who wouldn’t want Mills’ leadership and composure in the locker room?
Run it back with Heat?
Time will tell if Mills is wanted by an NBA outfit beyond this season, now he’s in the twilight of his career.
Given he’ll finish the 2023-24 season with the Heat, the Florida-based outfit has the inside track to signing Mills beyond this season — pending what he brings for their Playoff stretch run.
Lakers?
The reality is that LeBron’s Lakers get linked to practically every veteran that becomes available, as the King’s team looks to close the gap on Denver in the West.
Spencer Dinwiddie was picked up as a Buyout guy after the deadline, but hasn’t managed to click in Los Angeles as of yet. Perhaps Mills can find a groove if the LA side doesn’t find its mojo in time this campaign.
The NBL?
Patty Mills returning to his homeland is a logical next step — July marks the start of the NBA off-season.
The NBL are in the midst of its own postseason now, meaning there’s time for the dust to settle and teams around the country to inquire in time for the start of next season, which will tip off around October.
Career highlights
On top of Mills’ heroics with the Boomers, highlighted by Australia’s ground-breaking maiden bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, of which the veteran guard was a key player, he’s notched up just shy of 900 career games in the NBA and represented several teams.
Patty was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2009, before landing with the San Antonio Spurs in 2012 when things started to take off for the Canberra product.
He won an NBA championship with the Spurs in 2014 and will no doubt be remembered most fondly by his time with the Texas team, when it’s all said and done.
Mills also played with Brooklyn more recently, before joining Atlanta.
Mills and Hawks part ways
The departure seems to be part of a larger restructuring within the team.
At the time of Mills’ departure, Atlanta is 26-32 and holds a four-game lead over Brooklyn for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.
Despite shooting at 38 percent from beyond the arc in a limited sample this season, Mills only averaged 2.7 points in a tick over 10 minutes per game — a drastically diminished role, sadly. In a corresponding move, the Hawks signed 25-year-old two-way guard Trent Forrest to a standard NBA contract, who has shown some promise in his fourth season.
