One of the Brooklyn Nets’ top contributors from the past few seasons won’t be sticking around with his new team. 34-year-old Patty Mills was traded to the Houston Rockets on Saturday, July 1, but he’s reportedly being re-routed to a different Western Conference team. As per The Athletic’s Kelly Iko, Mills is being looped into the Dillon Brooks sign-and-trade in an expanded trade.
Recently-acquired point guard Patty Mills is not staying in Houston and will be rerouted, sources tell @TheAthletic. He is being looped into the Dillon Brooks sign-and-trade in an expanded deal, sources say.
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) July 2, 2023
The 2014 NBA Champion and 2022 NBA Sportsmanship Award winner was already set to be with a different team or 2023-24. Still, now he’s headed to Oklahoma City, as part of a broader deal involving Houston, Brooks and the Memphis Grizzlies. As per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Millis is being rerouted to the Thunder, who will receive draft compensation to take on Mills’ $6.8 million expiring deal, which the Nets initially shed.
Oklahoma City is acquiring Brooklyn guard Patty Mills as part of a broader deal through Houston, sources tell ESPN. The Thunder will receive draft compensation to take on Mills’ $6.8M expiring deal.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2023
This was another salary dump for the Nets, as Houston obtained a second-round pick in acquiring the Australian-born Mills. The Rockets, who have already added the likes of Brooks, Fred Van Vleet and Jeff Green in free agency were seemingly looking to bolster a younger roster with the addition of veterans like the players mentioned earlier above and Mills, who has 14 years of experience under his belt. While he would’ve fit seamlessly as a leader in Houston’s locker room, he’s now headed to another younger roster, instead.
Mills will likely serve as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s immediate backup, even with the addition of EuroLeague guard Vasilije Micić, one of Europe’s best and most accomplished players, who agreed to a three-year, $23.5 million deal with the Thunder over the weekend. He’ll join a backcourt that includes the likes of Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey and Carson Wallace, who Oklahoma City used a lottery pick on in last month’s 2023 NBA Draft.
So, Mills’ veteran presence will certainly be an appreciated factor moving forward.
This past season, Mills averaged 6.2 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He saw his playing time decrease after playing in 81 games and averaging 29 minutes per game with Brooklyn a season prior. This past season, Mills played in just 40 games, which was the lowest amount he’s played in since the 2011-2012 season. That largely had to do with Brooklyn’s youth movement, as the Nets traded away both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving mid-season.
Now, he’ll run with the Thunder, as he looks to be an important piece for them for this season and potentially beyond.
[Kelly Iko and Adrian Wojonarowksi on Twitter]
