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Patty Mills decided against the Jerome James/J.J. Barea "take the money and run" tactic, instead choosing to stay planted in San Antonio with a three-year, $12 Million deal today.
Even with a lingering shoulder injury that will require surgery and sideline Mills until January, the Spurs saw fit to lock him up. They've done their job, further solidifying their championship core through the end of the Tim Duncan era.
Even though he's had some inconsistent seasons since arriving, Mills was steady enough in the regular season, averaging 10.2 points while providing plenty of shooting from off the bench. By the end of the season, no one could question his value. When the brightest lights of the playoffs came on, Mills produced two critical scoring outbursts-both under the glare of the NBA Finals. Games 5 and 6 saw him average 15.5 points in only 17 minutes, dropping a combined 11 threes to bury Miami.
Though it appears that there were no serious suitors for his services (maybe his injury had something to do with that), this assures everyone that the Greg Popovich Championship Factory will keep chugging along, churning out 50 win seasons and realistic chances at a NBA title.
For more on Patty Mills and the Spurs visit our friends over at Pounding the Rock