A disastrous shoulder injury will sideline NBA free agent Patty Mills for up to seven months, just days before the Australian star was to receive multi-million dollar offers to leave the championship winning San Antonio Spurs.
After rolling over the Miami Heat in last month’s NBA Finals, Mills’ impressive playoff run and deciding Game 5 scoring binge had the speedy point guard in line for a significant pay rise from the $1.085 million he made as Tony Parker’s backup last season, even reportedly drawing interest from the New York Knicks. But his experience as a coveted free agent and a run at this year’s basketball world cup in Spain appears to be in jeopardy after electing to undergo surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.
“It was a shock, but I knew something was wrong with my shoulder. I had pain during the season,” Mills told Canberra Times reporter Chris Dutton.
“You think nothing can deflate you after a championship, but this is sinking in. I think it might affect [free agency].”
Mills had allegedly been carrying the injury for some time before the extent of the damage was revealed during his exit physical with the Spurs.
The injury will mean the 25-year-old will miss leading an exciting and very talented Australian side at the FIBA World Cup in Spain, kicking off August 30, and will likely not return to NBA action until January, the season mid-point.
As a free agent, Mills was expected to receive interest from teams looking to give the career backup a more prominent role at a chunk of a regular NBA mid-level exception ($5.3 million).
“Strong likelihood, I’m told, is Patty Mills re-signing w/San Antonio & taking ’til January to recover. Firmer diagnosis to come post-surgery,” tweeted ESPN’s Marc Stein.
Mills averaged 10.2 points, 1.8 assists and shot an impressive 42.5 per cent from three in just 18.9 minutes per game for the Spurs last season.
Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images
