Former Blazers Guard Signs With Western Conference Rival

Ricardo Klein | Aug 14, 2024

Apr 16, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum (3) dribbles into San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills (8) in the first half at the AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports / Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Former Portland Trail Blazers guard Patty Mills has signed a deal with a Western Conference rival, the Utah Jazz.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report the news via Twitter/X.

Free agent guard Patty Mills has agreed on a one-year, $3.3 million deal with the Utah Jazz, sources tell ESPN. Mills will reunite with coach Will Hardy for his 16th NBA season on a fully guaranteed deal. pic.twitter.com/n479XigF6s

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 14, 2024

The veteran guard and the Jazz agreed to a one-year, $3.3 million deal that is fully guaranteed for the 2024-25 season. Mills will reunite with Jazz head coach Will Hardy. The two were together in San Antonio from 2015-21, when Mills was on the team. Hardy served as the assistant coach under legendary head coach Gregg Popovich.

Mills is a proven veteran and winner, especially during his Spurs tenure. He played a pivotal role with the Spurs under Popovich along with guys like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginóbili, and Kawhi Leonard.

The Australian native just turned 36 years old on Aug. 11 and will join his sixth NBA team.

Mills started his NBA career with the Trail Blazers and was selected No. 55 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. At the time, he was the first player from Saint Mary's since 1983 to be drafted and was the highest pick since 1961.

He spent his first two seasons with the Blazers, averaging 5.1 points, 0.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.4 steals per game while shooting 41.2 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from deep in 74 games. Following the 2011 season, the NBA lockout happened, so he returned to Australia to play in the National Basketball League.

The 2011 season was the last Mills donned a Blazers jersey. He returned to the NBA in 2012, signing with San Antonio. Mills spent the next 10 seasons in Texas and was the ultimate role player for the model franchise in the NBA.

Mills has always been a dangerous shooter from the perimeter and can be a scoring spark, as he's displayed throughout his career. However, that was at his peak; his role and play have diminished these past few seasons. His last productive season came with the Brooklyn Nets in the 2021-22 season, where he averaged 11.4 points, 2.8 three-pointers made, 2.3 assists, and 1.9 rebounds per game.

The 36-year-old now joins the likes of Hardy and a young roster led by All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, Walker Kessler, and rookie guard Isaiah Collier. Mills will be a veteran voice in that locker room and should emerge as a leader for the handful of young guards on the roster.

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