Since 2001, point guard Tony Parker dazzled San Antonio Spurs fans with spinning layups and teardrop floaters. Lately, though, Parker has been slowing down the offense and has become the weak link on defense. It is time for a change. A new younger point guard has stepped up, and his name is Patty Mills.

The bearded Australian first made his impression in the 2014 NBA Finals when he lit up the Miami Heat, knocking down three pointer after three pointer. In this finals series, he was one of the main contributors to one of the most lopsided NBA Finals in league history.

This season, Mills has been more efficient from three, shooting 42.2 percent from beyond the arc compared to Parker’s 39.5 percent. He has also hit more than Parker; he has made 198 so far this season, compared to Parker only hitting 15.

Since the fantastic finals performance, Mills has come off the bench and has been a spark plug. He can change the game in just a few possessions with his three-pointers and hustle put on full display in almost every game. With star player Kawhi Leonard developing into a superstar, it would be smart not to let Parker’s isolations steal from Leonard’s opportunities.

Mills is great for Leonard because he can be a last second option to a broken play. When Kawhi and Mills are on the court together, it is a perfect combo. If Leonard is driving into the paint and is too heavily guarded to get a shot off with the shot clock winding down, he can can kick it out to Mills, knowing that he can shoot the three ball with confidence.

Parker, however, does not have near the shooting ability Mills has, so this is not an option.

After last season, Mills took his biggest step into becoming a starter by averaging 21.3 points per game for Australia in the 2016 Rio Olympics. In the first 39 games he played, he averaged 10.1 points per game; and Parker, who has been strting, is averaging 11.5 points per game.

Although Parker is a great player who can add offense to the already stacked Spurs team, it is now time that Mills becomes the starter and Parker becomes the spark plug off the bench.