The Pros and cons of the Spurs letting Patty Mills go

May 19th, 1999. Western Conference Semifinals. Game 2. San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio Spurs vs. Lakers. The Admiral, Shaq, Timmy D, Kobe, Sean Elliot, and a pre-.04 Derek Fisher.

I was 14 and can still feel the electricity. Spurs playoff games in the Dome, particularly during that 1999 run was something to behold. Bear in mind, the Spurs had not yet captured that elusive NBA title or even a Finals appearance.  The city was hungry. 

Back on that day in ’99, I somehow managed to get courtside while the Lakers were going through pregame. A ball rolled my way, and I drained a 3-point shot from the corner of the Alamodome. No kidding. It was the highlight of my sports-filled life. 

San Antonio and its fans ate that day, ate the rest of that month, continued feasting into June, and indulged over the next decade-plus. All of San Antonio remembers the players who played parts in the championship runs of '99, '03, '05, '07, and '14.

Aside from the Big Three and David Robinson, fan favorites of all shapes and sizes came and went and contributed in each a unique way. The roster was stacked year in and year out with a supporting cast that adapted to the ever-changing style of the NBA. As Spurs fans, we came to expect it. 

In fact, we ended up spoiled. I suppose an NBA dynasty will do that to you. When you get spoiled, you forget. You forget a second-round playoff game, even if it was against the Lakers. You forget what it felt like to be hungry, to not have expectations and just want a shot. You forget what it was like to look up in the rafters and not see a Championship banner.

Fast forward to 2021, where the Spurs have missed the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time ever. All those headliner stars are gone. David and Tim are in the Hall of Fame and Manu is probably still on a banana boat someplace in the Caribbean. Everyone from the glory days is gone. I think Spurs fans may be remembering what it feels like to be a little hungry again.

Well, almost everyone.  

There is one player who remains as the lone fan favorite from the last championship team. A 3-point assassin, much like my 14-year-old self as referenced earlier, who defends players like a pesky bug you just can’t seem to get rid of. He relentlessly laces it up night in and night out and continues to be that spark plug off the bench he has become known for. 

His name is Patty Thrills Mills, and he is a free agent. So, I ask you, Spurs fans, do we buy or sell number eight? Is it time for Patty Mills to ride off into the sunset which effectively ends any reminiscing of championship lore? Or does he stay and serve as a leader to this youthful and promising roster we have in front of us today?

What are the pros and cons of retaining Mills?

The Pros of the San Antonio Spurs retaining Patty Mills

I try to be a positive person, so first let’s examine the pros. For starters, Patty is a veteran and knows how to win championships. That, of course, is obvious. He bleeds Silver and Black and embodies everything the Spurs organization stands for.

Culture is of the utmost importance for the Spurs, and Mills can help instill those core values into the minds of a roster filled with young spring chicks. This type of thing to have from a leadership perspective is invaluable, especially on a team where culture and the way things are done is so important for team chemistry. 

Patty can also still produce on both ends of the court and based on the way Mills takes care of his body, he should still provide valuable minutes for at least two to three more years. This season, Mills shot 37.5 percent from downtown. Compare that over his last ten seasons with the Spurs and you don’t really see a significant decline. 

He also still averaged 10.8 points coming off the bench, which is nothing to shake a stick at. At 32 years old, he is getting up there in terms of NBA age, but that should almost be a non-factor when you look at what he brings as a leader.  

And, maybe most importantly, Patty Mills is an absolute fan favorite. On most clubs, this doesn’t mean much when you are talking roster shifts and opening assets to potentially sign a star caliber player. But in this city, it does. The people of San Antonio and the Spurs are family.

The fans are some of the most passionate in all sports. By keeping Mills on, the Spurs front office gives its fanbase that goodwill gesture which may be needed more than one may think, given the fact that some not-so-successful years may be in the direct future of the franchise. 

With that said, there are some cons to keeping Mills on for another season.

The Cons of the San Antonio Spurs retaining Patty Mills

Patty Mills is 32 years old. Yes, yes, I know I said that his age should almost be a non-factor, and there is a reason I threw in the word almost. The average player's career is only about five or six years. Patty is well above that and you can only wonder if at his age he may be more prone to injury. However, even if his body does wear down you still have that leadership aspect in place to a certain extent. Nevertheless, we must consider his age when looking at not retaining his services.

The money part is key. Mills averages roughly $12 million. At least he did over the span of the past four years. Is he worth that amount for another four? Perhaps negotiate and keep him around for two years at a discounted price? I don’t know. I am not the money guy.

I will leave that to the brilliant minds over at One AT&T Center Drive to figure that one out. I think it would be safe to say that the numbers based on his previous contract are a little steep, at least in terms of building for the future. But I think Patty may see that and see that his role with the team might be more important than that paycheck. Or, he may not, and the Spurs may be forced to let him go. Again, I am not the money guy.   

Lastly, if our favorite Australian leaves the 210, it will mark the end of an era as much as any other departure of former players involved in the dynasty days. After looking over the roster, I asked myself who will step in as the veteran leader if Patty bolts and admittedly had a tough time coming up with an acceptable answer for his replacement.

Do the Spurs really want to risk not having anyone around who knows and understands what deep playoff runs and titles look, feel, and taste like? I'm not sure they do.   

In an offseason unlike any other, we will see what route the Spurs decide to take. Time will indeed tell all. G’day, Mate!