Monta Ellis Situation “Close To Popping Off”
Last we heard from Golden State, they were focusing their pre-draft workouts on yet another wing player, so that they’d have a small militia of guys between 6-5 and 6-9. But earlier this week, all of those lofty draft plans were temporarily put on hold when GSW GM Larry Riley and Don Nelson flew to Atlanta to meet with a very unhappy Monta Ellis.
For weeks we’ve heard that Ellis is no longer interested in playing for Golden State, and apparently it had reached a point where it was “close to popping off” in the words of one NBA executive—meaning going to the media and publicly demanding a trade.
General Manager Larry Riley and head coach Don Nelson reportedly flew to Atlanta to meet with Ellis this week, and basically have made every attempt possible to defuse the situation, at the very least in order to not lose leverage in any trade talk they will inevitably be involved in. One NBA executive we spoke with believes that Ellis was promised that the Warriors will not be picking a point guard with the #7 pick, and that he will be the one running the show for them next year.
In some ways, that might be a good thing for the Warriors, as a number of top point guard prospects are currently refusing to work out for them. According to Draft Express, Jrue Holiday, Ricky Rubio, Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry won’t work out in the Bay.
If the Warriors let Monta and these four guys dictate their draft plans, will they be headed in the right direction? Let’s say they go with 6-10 PF Jordan Hill with the 7th pick. Stephen Jackson, Jamal Crawford, Anthony Morrow and Corey Maggette will all spend time playing the two and three. Hill and Anthony Randolph can split time playing the four, and Andris Biedrins/Ronny Turiaf will hold it down at the five.
That roster is virtually no different from last year’s. Clearly it didn’t work out too well during that last go-round. The only real difference would be Monta’s health and happiness - is that enough to turn GSW from a disaster into a contender?
Source: Draft Express
June 16th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Scott says:
He should probably play a whole year with full health after the accident before letting things ‘pop off’. Dude went from a heart warming story to a spoiled brat.
June 16th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Dukesman2000 says:
I agree with Monta…
June 16th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Scott says:
ps. I feel sorry for Anthony Morrow.
June 16th, 2009 at 11:44 am
isotope says:
gosh!
are all ball players selfish whining cry babies?
June 16th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Kobeef says:
GS should draft Earl Clark (who is bigger than Jordan Hill by the way) and let the kids play.
Monta, SJax, Randolph, Clark, Biendris would be fun to watch….too bad Cory Maggette is on this team.
June 16th, 2009 at 11:56 am
blah says:
they should blow the team up. trade all their decent players for a bunch of hi picks and expiring trash.
June 16th, 2009 at 11:59 am
nowwhatyo says:
trade him to atlanta for josh smith
June 16th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Leland says:
Mr.Moped, who do you think you are? The Warriors should draft Tyreke Evans and tell Monta to shut his hole. They have the least amount of depth at point guard in a point guard heavy draft.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
sxm says:
Monta for jsmooth? does that make sense to anyone else…Monta is the player that atl want the aging bibby to be….and gs will have one less G - f.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Scott says:
That Josh Smith idea ain’t half bad.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
dmitry of jersey says:
sign and trade David Lee for Monta…
June 16th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Yeah that Smith idea might work..
I agree with #1 completely..
BUT.. is he really a PG?? i never thought so..
June 16th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Big Island says:
It’s gotten to the point that Ellis can demand a trade and a headline? If he goes anywhere else he will get 10 points a game and maybe 20 minutes. Like the Rock says, shut your mouth and know your role.
Can people still quote the Rock? Is that allowed?
June 16th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Imperial-Mel says:
@ Big Island, No rock quotes…ever!
and the Clark idea would be good for his fast past, east coast style of play. I would agee it would be really intresting to watch. Thinking about the trade of Mo-ped Monta and Mr. Smith would be good but you would have to then wonder about who would be their new leader, who would push the ball in transition and who would you go to in a cluth decision besides Jackson?
June 16th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
ian says:
how did the warriors management find a way to a give a guy who was hurt b/c of a retarded moped accident for half the season leverage?
June 16th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Chris says:
I hope, the Warriors pick the best player available. Last year basically you took away Baron and Monta, then got nothing out of Randolph.
This year the Warriors are already more competitive just for the simple fact Monta is back and Randolph was able to get his feet wet.
Looking forward to this year.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Sanpitch says:
lol @15
my thoughts exactly. dude was hurt and lucky to still have a contract and now you let him dangle the “trade” option out there.
if i’m g.s. management i tell monta to stfu and put on a jock strap.
wow, g.s. must be very dysfunctional.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
K Dizzle says:
I like the Monta for JSmoove idea. Numbers are pretty close. They both yound and Atlanta needs a young guard, Childress can come back and Smitty would love Nelson’s system…
June 16th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Coop says:
Second what Ian put.
The Warriors is a team run by morons employing more morons. Ellis, if he had any balls, would ask for his contract to be cancelled and he could then go wherever.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
lifep says:
How dare MOPEDMAN gripe! They should have voided his contract when he went starred in “When Mopeds attack” a while ago. If they can’t void his contract, trade that dude..get what you can get and draft a pass first point guard to run the show. Get rid of some of the doggone wings to…geez!
June 16th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
lifep says:
M.O.P.E.D. Man
M.O.P.E.D. Man
June 16th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
JSpicoli says:
Monta
On
Petals
Equals
Disaster
June 16th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
UncheckedAggression says:
I’m also surprised to see that they planned to use Ellis at point. That’s just not the position that he is most effective.
June 16th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
pig says:
Damn,this guy ha NO RIGHT to be unhappy..ruined the warriors
June 16th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
HBooyah says:
Toronto: GET Monta!!!
June 16th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
the cynic says:
uh doesn’t Moped realize the reason the Warriors stunk up the joint last year was because of him
June 16th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
bub says:
Dont forget about Brandon Wright too,
if i were the warriors, i would try to trade a few good players for a great player.
The warriors have a team full of offensive minded players, its about time to bring in some players that can really defend and bring some intangibles.
Who would go- Maggette, Ellis, Crawford, Benelli, Brandon Wright.
Who cant be traded- biedrins, randolph, S-Jack, Watson, and Azabuke
June 17th, 2009 at 1:49 am
Hilton says:
Even though Ellis isnt really a point guard this could work out for GS. He does need to learn that with his contract he needs to be the man now and shouldnt have to be worried about who the team drafts.
June 17th, 2009 at 2:23 am
DJ Leon Smith says:
Find a way to trade down in the draft and keep Patty Mills in the Bay Area. Problem solved.
June 17th, 2009 at 7:28 am
smoove chips says:
the village idiot is about to throw a fit.
it’s a shitty village.
so this,rightfully,is major news.
quick question:what franchise fans have it worse
Clippers,sac town, or GS ?
June 17th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Chris Cohan says:
Funny, this is nothing new. this is a rumor that was falsely started by Tim Kawakami a writer in the bay on his blog. There is nothing to it.