Utah Jazz: Paul Millsap's future position with Jazz unknown

SALT LAKE CITY — In one of the interesting moments of the Utah Jazz's locker cleanout Thursday, Paul Millsap admitted he likes being a macho man.

Thankfully, Millsap did not don a Village People costume nor break out into their old song with that name while proclaiming that fact.

But the admission was made, and it provided insight into whether Millsap hopes to return next season as a power forward or a small forward.

The 6-foot-8, 250-pounder has no problem switching positions and sliding over to the 3 spot on occasion — something he did toward the end of the season to play alongside fellow bigs Al Jefferson and Derrick Favors.

Like his Bayou predecessor with the Jazz and at La. Tech, however, Millsap agreed that he remains a power forward at heart.

"I like to get down there and get physical. I like to get down there and try to show my strength, try to be a macho man," Millsap said. "It's fun down there to actually go up against a 7-footer and you know you're undersized and you know people are telling you that you can't guard this guy, you can't do that.

"I take it as a challenge."

In previous seasons, coach Jerry Sloan contemplated using the undersized power forward in the small forward position. Millsap even worked on it a bit in years past, long before Favors came along.

Though he isn't as quick as many small forwards, the 26-year-old's improved outside shot and versatility make him an intriguing candidate.

Then again, Millsap's tendency to pull down rebounds against bigger opponents, his soft mid-range touch and his improved interior game make him a pretty darned good power forward.

It's highly unlikely Millsap will be switched to full-time small forward, but Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin likes the possibilities of having another dangerous lineup that counters opponents' length.

Even Tim Duncan and Richard Jefferson told Big Al they were impressed by the Millsap-Favors-Jefferson combo when the Jazz recently played the Spurs.

"I think it'd be a weapon for us to get big as a group of guys with different guys playing different positions," said Corbin, adding that it's a way to fight height when you don't have a dominant 7-foot-2 center patrolling the paint.