A tumultuous season in Dallas might end up actually being an interesting offseason for the Mavericks. They went through some issues with guards all season long, including the playoffs, and they now find themselves without a starting backcourt going into the summer.
The end of Rajon Rondo in Dallas is all but a formality at this point, especially after his performance to end his time with the Mavs. He essentially was sent home by head coach Rick Carlisle and he’s not expected to return to the team this summer.
Now it appears the other starting guard, Monta Ellis, will also be departing the Mavs this summer to join free agency.
Following from Chris Broussard and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
Source: Monta Ellis will not opt-in to the final yr of his contract & will thus become a free agent this summer. Indiana & Miami interested
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) June 24, 2015
Source: Monta Ellis has decided to opt out of the final year of his contract. The Mavs do not plan to try to re-sign him.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 24, 2015
Monta Ellis joining the Indiana Pacers would be interesting. They can essentially make Ellis the point guard, have George Hill play some off-ball guard in the backcourt. The thing is, is there enough of the ball to share? One can’t forget that Paul George will be hungry to perform and the front court of David West and Roy Hibbert need to get some touches.
On the flipside, joining the Heat means Miami is willing to let Dwyane Wade walk. There’s no way you bring in Ellis unless they let Wade walk this summer in free agency. Even if they want to bring in Ellis with Wade, for whatever reason, he’ll have to join them for a real cheap contract.
With Rondo and Monta gone, the team can now look to get younger and it also helps them free up some cap space to possibly chase some big names. Dirk Nowitzki has let his interest in LaMarcus Aldridge be known to the public and now they have the money to possibly go after him.
The thing is, they need to find a guard. A young guard that can do something for them offensively when called upon. Monta Ellis hasn’t been the most efficient scorer and then when Rajon Rondo joined, it got even worse. Ellis lost the ability to control the ball more and Rondo, who has his own deficiencies on offense, didn’t exactly click with Ellis when he came to Big D.
They have their own pick in the draft, for now, and over a possible $30 million in cap room available. It could be another big summer in Dallas, trying to make one last title run with Dirk Nowitzki.
