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The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent guard Monta Ellis. According to multiple reports, it is a a three-year deal worth over $25 million.
Ellis (6-3, 185) is an eight-year veteran guard with career averages of 19.4 points, 4.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 36.0 minutes in 516 games (437 starts) with Golden State and Milwaukee. In 2007, he was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player and has since averaged 19 points or more in each of the past six seasons.
According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas, “the Mavs are optimistic that Ellis will benefit from playing with pass-first point guard Jose Calderon and Nowitzki, whose shooting ability creates space for teammates.”
2009-10 was a breakout season for Ellis when he averaged 25.5 points, 5.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 41.4 minutes per game with Golden State. On March 13, 2012, Ellis was traded to Milwaukee, along with Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown, in exchange for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson ending his nearly seven-year tenure with the Warriors.
Last season, Ellis started all 82 games for Milwaukee and averaged 19.2 points, 6.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 37.5 minutes per contest.
The Jackson, Miss., native, jumped directly to the NBA Draft from Lanier High School where he was named 2005 Parade Magazine High School Player of the Year and USA Today All-American. The Warriors selected him with the 40th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.
