Paul Millsap retires after strong career that helped the Nuggets rise

When the Denver Nuggets inked a three-year $90 million deal with Paul Millsap it marked a turning point for the franchise and on Tuesday the former All-Star retired.

After 1,085 NBA games across five franchises, Millsap has called it a career, according to ESPN. The four-time All-Star averaged 13.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists over his 16 years in the league. He played in another 130 games in the playoffs, playing in two conference finals. The 2006 second-round pick had not played in the NBA since 2022, a season where he was tossed in a massive trade the Nets made for James Harden.

In Denver, Millsap played a big role in the Nuggets‘ resurgence as a contender during his four seasons. Known for his versatility, veteran leadership, and defensive prowess, Millsap brought stability and experience to a young, talented roster on the rise.

Millsap’s signing with the Nuggets in 2017 was a big deal. It was Tim Connolly scoring the biggest free agent deal in franchise history, completely shifting the tide of what was even possible for basketball in Denver after so many players passed up on the Nuggets in the past. What Millsap saw was a young team brimming with potential but lacking playoff experience and a defensive identity. Millsap’s ability to guard multiple positions and anchor the defense complemented the offensive firepower of Denver’s duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Millsap’s IQ and unselfish play helped integrate the team’s pieces, allowing Jokic to emerge as the offense’s focal point while fostering a culture of accountability on both ends of the court.

While Millsap is just one of eight players in league history with 500 three-pointers, 1,000 blocks and 1,000 steals—it’s not his stats that stand out from his Nuggets tenure. Millsap’s moment came during the Nuggets’ 2020 playoff run in the Bubble. Facing elimination and down 3-1 in the series against the Los Angeles Clippers, Millsap sparked a dramatic comeback with a fiery back-and-forth with Marcus Morris. The Nuggetes turned around a huge deficit from that moment and became the first team in NBA history to overcome two 3-1 deficits in the same postseason. It was a microcosm of Millsap’s time in Denver, where he echoed Michael Malone’s message of grit and leadership.

Marcus Morris and Paul Millsap heated exchange 😳 pic.twitter.com/tyo22qv5ch

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 11, 2020

Millsap also helped shape the development of Michael Porter Jr. while he helped set what would end up being a championship culture. Some still argue to this day that Millsap was overpaid, and was a less effective player than in his days with the Hawks, but what the Nuggets were before and after the power forward tell you enough about his impact.