Considering the way things have unraveled for the Dallas Mavericks over the past couple of weeks, there is a good chance they could lose their top scorer if Monta Ellis feels that he has had enough of his current situation and would prefer a move somewhere else as a free agent this offseason.
Ellis averaged a team-high 20.0 points per game along with 3.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game for Dallas and while the Mavericks would love to lock him up, there is no guarantee a deal gets done. The fact that Ellis has emerged as a quality fantasy option over the last two years makes where he will end up this summer that much more interesting. Here are the three best destinations for him in terms of his overall fantasy value.
Dallas Mavericks
While there will be a ton of talk about the other potential suitors, there may not be a better destination for Ellis in terms of his fantasy value than where he is right now. He has thrived in Dallas over the last two seasons. Ellis’ scoring and assists averages have stayed pretty much the same since his time with the Milwaukee Bucks but a closer look at his numbers reveal he posted higher shooting percentages in his two years with the Mavericks.
There is every reason to believe he would be better off playing for a team where he has already established a high level of chemistry rather than starting over somewhere new next season, so Dallas could be the best fit for his fantasy value.
While there was clearly a clash with Rajon Rondo, it’s clear that those two simply were not a fit together. But overall, it was more that Rondo wasn’t a fit for the Mavericks more than anything else. Rondo will not be back in Dallas next season, so Ellis won’t have to deal with that problem. Factor in that he has a player option on his contract for $8.72 million next season, and there is a good chance he stays where he is.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets had a top 10 defense in 2015 but it was at the offensive end of the floor where they really struggled. With the Lance Stephenson experiment proving to be a major failure in nearly every way, they will likely look to the free agent or trade market again this summer for the chance to acquire the scoring guard they need. Kemba Walker is better off in the playmaker role as the starting point guard and with Al Jefferson, Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo filling out the big man roles. The one major hole remains at shooting guard where Gerald Henderson and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist might not be the answer, as both are better suited for bench roles.
Ellis would thrive as the primary scoring guard in Charlotte beside Jefferson and Walker and that makes the Hornets a strong destination in terms of his overall fantasy value.
Memphis Grizzlies
Scoring from their guards has been a perennial problem for a Grizzlies team that always seems to be a contender but has consistently come up short over the past couple of years. The addition of a pure scorer like Ellis would make a huge difference with defenses forced to choose between respecting his perimeter shooting and dealing with the tandem of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph down low.
The Grizzlies averaged just 5.2 three-pointers during the 2014-15 season, which was the second-fewest in the NBA (only Minnesota had less). And while the Grizzlies did try to address their scoring flaws with the acquisition of Jeff Green, he never quite panned out as expected. However, adding a pure scorer like Ellis could help put this team over the top.
With the big boys in the paint and Ellis helping stretch the floor, a move to Memphis would make perfect sense. And for his fantasy value, he’d still be just fine while approaching similar numbers he contributed in Dallas.
