Monta Ellis playing alongside Paul George? Wow! That is going to be one amazing backcourt duo to watch if the Pacers can pull it off for the right price. Free Agency just can’t stop and won’t stop buzzing. So far it doesn’t look like we’re going to be disappointed with a lot of the offseason moves, but honestly who knows, its still too early to tell.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Pacers have also been busy bees and are dead-set on bringing Free-agent guard Monta Ellis. They are reportedly engaged in serious talks on a possible three-year, $32 million-plus deal. The 10-year veteran just finished his second season with the Mavericks. He declined his player option worth $8.7 million for next season in order to become an unrestricted free agent.
Larry Bird has been determined to secure Monta Ellis, and Pacers pushing hard to close a deal with him, league sources tell Yahoo.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 1, 2015
Free agent guard Monta Ellis and family traveling to Indiana to meet with Pacers officials on Wednesday, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 1, 2015
It’s good to note however that the Pacers are far from alone in their interest in Ellis. Ken Berger of CBS Sports reports that the Hawks, Nuggets and Kings will also be calling Ellis, and the Miami Heat could get involved as well depending on how things go with Dwyane Wade.
In addition to Pacers, the Hawks, Nuggets and Kings calling on Monta Ellis, source says. With Dwyane Wade in limbo, Heat could be factor.
— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) July 1, 2015
Bird has reportedly encouraged Pacers coach Frank Vogel to get the team into a more free-flowing, uptempo offense for next season, which is part of the reason it seems like Roy Hibbert’s days in Indiana are numbered and another reason why David West became a free agent. None of those players would be an ideal fit in an offense run like that, but Ellis would be due to his offensive skill-set.
Ellis, 29, and still in his prime, averaged 18.9 points, 4.1 assists, 2.4 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 33.7 minutes per game for the Mavericks last year.
