Brooklyn Nets Add Frontcourt Depth in Paul Millsap; Leaders to Sign Unretired Lamarcus Aldridge

(Photo : Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) SAN ANTONIO, TX - Paul Millsap (#4) of the Denver Nuggets dives for a loose ball with LaMarcus Aldridge (#12) of the San Antonio Spurs during Game Six of the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at the AT&T Center on April 25, 2019 in San Antonio, Texas.

The Brooklyn Nets continued stacking their already strong lineup, adding Paul Millsap to their constellation of stars. The Nets and Millsap agreed to a contract with the player's agent DeAngelo Simmons confirming the deal to ESPN.

Millsap is the latest former All-Star to join Brooklyn over the past few seasons, joining Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Blake Griffin in the Nets squad. Millsap has four All-Star appearances in his career, bringing the Nets total in that department with their current lineup to 38.

Millsap heads to Brooklyn after disappointing season with Denver

Millsap decided to leave the Denver Nuggets after having a reduced role with them last season. He averaged just 9.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in the previous campaign, the lowest numbers he has put up since the 2007-08 season, which was his second year in the league.

The 2020-21 campaign was only the second season in Millsap's NBA career that he failed to average in double figures in scoring. His numbers suffered when the Nuggets acquired Aaron Gordon in a trade last March, and Millsap lost his starting job to the former Magic forward.

Despite Millsap's limited minutes last season, he still provided valuable contributions to the Nuggets' offensive and defensive ends. Millsap had a .537 effective field goal percentage last season, which was above his .514 career mark. On defense, Millsap averaged 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks per 36 minutes for Denver.

Millsap didn't contribute much in the Nuggets' postseason run, averaging just 6.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in Denver's two playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns. He will provide much-needed frontcourt depth to a Nets lineup that lost Jeff Green earlier this summer to the Denver Nuggets.

Nets, Aldridge set for a reunion next season

The Nets aren't done with their offseason tinkering with reports linking them to a possible reunion with former player LaMarcus Aldridge. The 36-year-old was signed by Brooklyn last season but only appeared in five games for the Nets franchise after retiring in April due to an irregular heartbeat.

It appears Aldridge's playing days are not yet over, though, as the former San Antonio Spurs star received full medical clearance to make a return next season in the NBA. The Nets reportedly are interested in re-signing Aldridge, who holds solid career averages of 19.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and two assists per outing.

The Nets sorely missed Aldridge's veteran experience and inside presence in the playoffs, where they were eliminated by eventual NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks in an epic seven-game series. Aldridge was starting to find his groove with Brooklyn before his retirement shocker, averaging 12.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in five starts with the Nets.