San Antonio Spurs reserve guard Patty Mills is expected to be sidelined for at least six months after aggravating a shoulder injury that ESPN reports bothered him throughout much of the season.
The 25-year-old Mills has already withdrawn from the Australian World Cup team set to compete late this summer. Fresh off of aiding the Spurs in their dethroning of the two-time defending champion Miami Heat, Mills was also considered one of the top free agent guard prospects this summer.
The website added Mills is expected to have surgery over the next several days to repair the rotator cuff in his right shoulder. Several other media outlets have also reported Mills played through pain for much of the year before the wear and tear of the injury apparently finally caught up to him.
Serving as Tony Parker's backup, the 2009 second-round draft choice averaged 10.2 points in slightly less than 19 minutes a game this season, connecting on a career-high 135 3-pointers.
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Mills also netted 17 points in the Spurs Game 5 series-clinching win over the Heat, culminating in the team's fifth NBA title. Overall, he averaged seven points throughout the playoffs and connected on 41 percent of his three-pointers.
ESPN added Mills and the Spurs had already began contract talks and he is expected to resign with Tim Duncan and company.
A fifth-year veteran, Mills has spent the last three seasons in San Antonio, averaging just over eight points, two rebounds and nearly two assists. His best overall season came with the Spurs in 2011-12 when he averaged 10.3 points, 2.4 assists and 1.8 rebounds.
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