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The Indiana Pacers have officially added a mountain of backcourt scoring.
The team announced Tuesday they have signed veteran free agent Monta Ellis to a contract.
According to the Associated Press, it is a four-year, $44 million deal, with a player option for the final year.
“He’ll be a great addition to our team,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird. “And he fits our needs for how we want to play. We’re excited to have him. He adds another veteran in our lineup and we think he’ll be a great fit, complementing George Hill in the back court.”
Ellis, named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for the 2006-07 season, is a 10-year NBA veteran, having played for the Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks and most recently, the Dallas Mavericks. The 6-3, 185-pound guard attended Lanier High School in Mississippi and was drafted by Golden State in the Second Round of the 2005 Draft with the 40th overall pick. He has career averages of 19.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.7 steals in 678 games.
“We’re thrilled to have Monta Ellis with the Pacers,” said Pacers Head Coach Frank Vogel. “He’s proven to be one of the league’s most prolific scorers year in and year out and his game fits perfectly with the style we’re going to implement going forward.”
