Barring any last minute hiccups, it looks like it’s just about a done deal. A bit more paper work and Australian point guard Patrick “Patty” Mills will be a Spur. This is exciting news for San Antonio Spurs fans. Mills is a very talented player who should be a nice back up to Tony Parker with T.J. Ford gone. He’s very eager to get back out on the NBA floor and show what he can do.
One former Spur says that Mills and the Spurs will be a great fit. Andrew Gaze is one of the best-known Australian basketball players of all time. He won a championship with the Spurs in 1999 even though he didn’t play much because of injury. He thinks the Spurs will be a good fit for Mills, and great opportunity to get him prepared for the 2012 Olympics.
”It’s great not just from an NBA standpoint, but he can get back in a team environment and that’s going to be huge for preparations for London,” Gaze said. ”I’m sure he has been keeping fit and he has been working out, but that’s no substitute for playing. Especially in the NBA. Realistically it’s going to take him time to find his feet and it’s going to be a battle for him to get some quality playing time because he’s in there behind Tony Parker, who is arguably the best point guard in the competition. There’s a window of opportunity for him that if he can come on and show what he can do, he can get some legitimate minutes.”
Injuries have been tough for Mills, but if he can stay healthy, expect to see a lot from him. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him play, but from what I remember, he can score and pass on par with the best point guards in the league. I’m excited to see what he does with his next shot in the NBA.
