The Dallas Mavericks and Monta Ellis have agreed on a three year contract. The deal is worth $25 million in guaranteed money, and could be worth up to $30 million including various bonuses. Ellis, one of the best unsigned free agents, agrees to a deal just days after changing agents.
Ellis is the second piece of a brand new Mavericks starting backcourt, as the team signed a new starting point guard in Jose Calderon to a 4 year $28 million deal earlier in the week. The Mavs hope that their new starting guard combo can team with Dirk Nowitzki to lead the team to the playoffs this season, after they were on the outside looking in this spring.
The 27-year-old combo guard put up averages of 19.2 points, 6.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game for the Bucks last year. However, he shot just 41.6 % from the field, and 28.7 % from beyond the three point line. He played all 82 games, and finished 11th in the NBA in scoring.
Ellis has averaged 19.4 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.7 assists over his 8 year NBA career. He spent the first 6 and half seasons of his career with the Golden State Warriors.
Ellis was set to earn $11 million on the final year of his deal, a contract originally signed with the Golden State Warriors when he opted out of his deal to become a free agent.
Ellis had reportedly previously rejected a two year contract extension from the Bucks worth $25 million. The deal was contingent on Ellis not opting out of the final year of his current contract, and would have been a 3 year deal overall, worth $36 million. As such Ellis ends up with slightly less money in turning down the proposed Milwaukee deal.
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