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Right now, Oklahoma City has expressed high interest in two guys – Marcin Gortat and Paul Millsap. Sam Presti phoned both of them within an hour of the free agency period starting with Millsap and then Gortat minutes later. Both are restricted free agents but both look like they’ll be cut loose by their current teams. They play different positions and do different things yet OKC will probably have to pick one or the other to direct its focus on – there’s no way the Thunder splurges and signs both. In some ways, I actually wonder if the Thunder signs either.

But right now, if you had to choose, which one do you go after? The seven-foot center Gortat or the brawny power forward Millsap? You can look at lots of things – need, fit, upside, price, nicknames. (Gortat has maybe the best in the league with The Polish Hammer and I don’t even know what Millsap’s is. I started calling him “The Milkman” last year, but I’m sure that’s not official. You’ve got to weigh those sort of things.) I see it this way: Which would you rather have, designer clothes that look really awesome or clothes that actually fit? What you buy needs to fit your wardrobe and shouldn’t make you start throwing away all the clothes you’ve already got. It should just be something that you can add right in and doesn’t cause a total rearranging of your closet. Read more…

Commentary Marcin Gortat, Paul Millsap

Darnell Mayberry reports the Thunder are talking with Paul Millsap:

The Thunder has reached out to representatives for Paul Millsap, the Utah Jazz restricted free agent forward, according to a source with knowledge of negotiations. Oklahoma City entered into preliminary talks with Millsap’s camp about 30 minutes into the start of free agency late Tuesday night. Teams were permitted to begin negotiating with free agents at 11 p.m. Central Time.Early discussions between the Thunder and Millsap’s representatives have been described as positive, but there is nothing concrete between the two sides. A follow-up conversation could take place later Wednesday …

… The Thunder is one of over a half dozen teams that have shown interest in Millsap in the opening hours of free agency, including a handful of teams that weren’t expected to make a run at him because of a lack of salary cap space.

Yes, I guess that’s somewhat interesting news, but it’s nothing shocking. So Oklahoma City called to talk to Paul Millsap, one of the top free agents on the market. No offer sheet has been signed, no offer has been made, just the two parties are talking about possibly taking the next step. But you’ve got to start somewhere. It looks less and less likely tha Utah will attempt to match an offer on Millsap though with today’s signing of Eric Maynor to a $3.1 million contract. Add that to Kyle Korver and Carlos Boozer exercising their options and the Jazz don’t have a lot of coin to spare.

(One thing to point out about Millsap: He was taken with the 47th pick in the 2006 Draft and obviously was a steal. But it’s not like he’s some sure-thing, high-profile power forward. Sure he played well in Carlos Boozer’s steed last year (13.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg), but how can we be sure that D.J. White isn’t the next Paul Millsap? White had just seven games last year and I thought he looked pretty good. So before we go bananas and sign a guy that had a solid half season to a multi-year, mega-buck deal, I think we need to evaluate what we’ve already got. Of course, I’m sure Sam Presti has already done this, so the point is, I don’t see Millsap in Thunder blue unless the price is VERY right for Oklahoma City.)

UPDATE: Per Darnell again:

Add the Thunder to the list of teams interested in Gortat. I’m told OKC officials made contact with Gortat’s camp shortly after midnight.

Also, Robert Swift will finally play for Boston. Well, at least for the summer:

The Celtics also added free agent center Robert Swift to the roster. The former Oklahoma City/Seattle seven-footer, who joined the league straight out of high school, has always intrigued Ainge.

News Paul Millsap, Robert Swift