Monta Ellis

Monta Ellis
SG, 6’3, 185lbs, 31 years old, 12 years of experience

As he ages and his abilities dwindle, it becomes even more imperative for Ellis to be given the opportunity to do what he does best. At his best, Ellis is a ball-handler in the pick-and-roll, a scorer with a catalysing offensive role, a bit of a chucker but ultimately a microwave type. If he is not allowed to be this player, then he isn’t much of anything. Ellis needs a spaced floor and a free rein. Without those things, you might as well just play a spot-up shooter.

Player Plan: Two years and a shade under $20 million remaining, only the first years of which is guaranteed. If there’s any value to be gotten for him, even pure salary relief, it is worth taking; after all, this is seemingly no longer a rotation player.

[...] In comparison, 36 such players have signed within those parameters in 2013. And in contrast to 2008, those names are often established quality role players who aren't quite stars and who rightly aren't being paid like it. At the top end, players like Monta Ellis, Jose Calderon, Brandon Jennings, Jarrett Jack, Jeff Teague and Carl Landry are all getting acceptable prices, perhaps $2 million annually less than they would have done five years ago. At the bottom end, established role players like Marreese Speights, Tony Allen and Chris Kaman are getting paid adequately for their useful role player production. And unlike in 2008, those deals like Kaman's are not too long. See also Greg Stiemsma, Tyler Hansbrough, Mike Dunleavy Jr, Dorell Wright and Randy Foye, none more than three years in length, some as short as one.

The exact parameters employed here are somewhat arbitrarily chosen, I admit. However, a comparison of some particular players to have been involved in both markets sheds light on the market fluctations. Despite being much the same player, many individuals received very different paychecks. Ellis received $66 million in 2008 and $25.08 million in 2013. Calderon received $45 million in 2008 and $29 million in 2013. Jason Maxiell received $20 million in 2008 and $5 million in 2013. And while Martell Webster received $20,112,000 for four years in 2008, he only received ... well, OK, maybe not him, as he received $21,990,500 for another four years this summer.

[...] For their part, Milwaukee, as recently as this week rumored to be considering parting with their 22-year-old leading scorer, has seemingly decided to pair him with a player a little too similar for comfort. Their backcourt is now the undersized, inefficient, defensively questionable and poorly spaced lynchpin of everything they are trying to do. Nevertheless, Ellis gives the Warriors the isolation threat that they otherwise haven’t otherwise had, and a genuinely precocious offensive talent. The fit is very awkward, more so than the bonus of Udoh and the saving of salary offsets, and the long term prognosis for the team is harldy clearer, but the talent infusion is most apparent, most evidently in the short term. As duplicable as the backcourt is, it’s a good one. On balance, of the two teams, it appears Milwaukee comes out as the trade’s winner.

Neither side can be argued as being an emphatic winner, though. The Warriors are hereby committed to a short term future of three not-quite-All-Star players, one of whom incessantly suffers different injuries, and one of whom incessantly suffers the same injury time and again. Meanwhile, the Bucks commit themselves to a backcourt of two undersized, inefficient ball-dominant scorers, a series of useful wings who can’t create any offense, an excellent young forward whose contract expires in three months, and a front court consisting of Drew Gooden and a bunch of shot-blocking specialists. And probably lose their Aussie fanbase along the way.

[...] The choice of Jackson over the other candidates was deliberate, and only slightly motivated by cost. Andre Iguodala is better at small forward, ball dominant, not nearly as good of a shooter as he thinks he is, and not nearly the calibre of half-court creator he so desperately wants to be.²⁶ A backcourt of Derrick Rose and Monta Ellis cannot stop anybody, and while it would thrive in the open court, it effectively mitigates itself in the half court. J.R. Smith can't be trusted, and was once traded by the Bulls for Adrian Griffin and Aaron Gray, which is no endorsement at all. Anthony Parker is no longer starting calibre. Michael Heisley has seemingly made the cost of acquiring O.J. Mayo unnecessarily prohibitive, particularly for one so average. Jason Richardson no longer wants to dribble, defend, or do anything much to get open without the ball. Vince Carter is emphatically done. Denver should (or ought) match a full MLE deal to Arron Afflalo. Courtney Lee won't come for anything less than Omer Asik, which is not a deal worth making. The Daniel Gibson, Jamal Crawford and Leandro Barbosa-types would be most useful, but only as hard-to-acquire backups. And Richard Hamilton is.......well, no.

[Lorenzen] Wright's other newsworthy contribution recently was when he sold his house in Memphis to Warriors guard Monta Ellis, fuelling speculation that the Grizzlies might be lining up a deal for him. The Grizzlies subsequently denied this, although if I were them, I wouldn't rule it out completely. Although it would sure be nice to have Marko Jaric's expiring contract right now.

[...] So as you can see, the case of Morrow is not the first time Golden State has rued not giving a player a third year on their minimum salary contract. On the plus side, though, they did have the foresight to give three years to Monta Ellis. And Chris Taft. And Richard Hendrix. Although the latter two ended up costing the team over $1.5 million for only 17 games played. But you win some, you lose some.