Call it a ploy to drive up offers, or a genuine about-face turn from the Atlanta Hawks, but power forward Paul Millsap is no longer on the trade market.
Hawks general manager Wes Wilcox is phoning teams across the league informing interested suitors that Millsap, the three-time All-Star, is no longer available, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
The Hawks are apparently determined to push for the playoffs - a week after gifting veteran sharpshooter Kyle Korver to the Cleveland Cavaliers for future assets which hinted at the start of a long-awaited rebuild in Atlanta.
However, the Hawks have since found their stride, having won six-straight over the last two weeks. That run has them in fourth within an Eastern Conference landscape defined, as always, by mediocrity. Should the Hawks keep everyone together, a 10th-straight playoff appearance wouldn't be out of the question.
The Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets, and Toronto Raptors were reportedly interested in Millsap when the news broke that the Hawks would entertain offers on the 31-year-old. Millsap is expected to opt out of his $20-million player option for 2017-18 and test free agency this summer. It stood to reason that the Hawks would consider recouping some value for Millsap if they didn't feel confident about retaining him.
Millsap is averaging 17.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists this season despite shooting a career-worst 43.8 percent from the field.
