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Dallas Mavericks: Could the Mavericks give a training camp invite to Monta Ellis?

By Austin Speck

PORTLAND, OR - DECEMBER 7: Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Monta Ellis (11) drives past Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) during the Dallas Mavericks 108-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on December 7, 2013 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Elise/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - DECEMBER 7: Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Monta Ellis (11) drives past Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) during the Dallas Mavericks 108-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on December 7, 2013 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Elise/Getty Images) /
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DALLAS, TX – APRIL 24: Monta Ellis
DALLAS, TX – APRIL 24: Monta Ellis /

Monta’s Experience in Dallas

Monta Ellis has a career field goal average of 45 percent on an average of 15 shots per game. In the past 20 years, fans have often considered Ellis to be one of the best players to never have an all-star appearance. It has been awhile, but Ellis has averaged over 20 points per game five times out of 12 seasons of NBA experience.

Ellis was a fan favorite in Golden State and was one of the very few glimmers of hope in a very dark time for the franchise until the emergence of Stephen Curry. Ultimately, Monta Ellis had to be moved for the better, as Curry started to become the greatest shooter of all-time that he is today.

Ellis was traded to Milwaukee and played for a season and a half before becoming a free agent in the summer of 2013. Recruited hard and then scooped up in a sign and trade for O.J. Mayo by the Mavs in the same offseason, Monta signed a three year $25 million contract with a player option in his third year. Ellis led the Mavericks in scoring for one of the two seasons he was with the team by averaging nearly 19 points per game.

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Along with Dirk Nowitzki and Chandler Parsons, the Mavericks had a high powered offense in the 2014 -2015 season that was unfortunately cut short in the playoffs due to disgruntled point guard, Rajon Rondo, throwing a fit. Reportedly there was friction also brewing in the locker room between Chandler Parsons and Monta Ellis. Chandler Parsons had received a $46 million contract the year prior and Ellis was expecting to be compensated just as much.

Everyone grows through experience and decision making, sometimes good and sometimes bad. The Mavericks made a bad choice by letting Monta Ellis go and refusing to offer a fair contract that Ellis deserved during the 2015 offseason.

Indiana was willing to pay Ellis and had him start all 81 games he played for them in the 2015-2016 season. However, his last year in the association, Ellis moved to a smaller role on the bench and averaged under 10 points per game only the second time in this career.

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