Monta Ellis opted out of his contract with the Dallas Mavericks as most had expected. The player was entering the final year of his $25 million contract and was set to earn $8.7 million next year had he opted in.
So come this July, Ellis joins the bumper crop of free agents available though a return to the Mavericks is not totally out of the picture though the Mavericks had already made it clear that if Ellis opts out, they will not be bringing him back.
Ellis led the Mavericks last season in scoring, averaging 18.9 points and five assists per outing, averaging 45 percent from the field and 30 percent from the three-point region.
He thus joins Rajon Rondo in the free agent market though Tyson Chandler may join them soon as well.
Rondo is reportedly being pursued by the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings.
Dallas will reportedly try to re-sign Chandler though this may all hinge on whether they could land Portland Trailblazer LaMarcus Aldridge in Dallas. The Mavs are also considering DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Milwaukee Bucks are said to be interested in signing up Chandler as head coach Jason Kidd tries to bring in ceiling by adding his former teammate in Dallas and the New York Knicks.
The Bucks are eying Chandler and Brook Lopez though the more realistic outcome would have Chandler landing in Milwaukee.
With the departure of Ellis and Rondo, the Mavericks now find themselves shorthanded in the backcourt. The Mavericks do not intend to spend that much for their point guard position and are eyeing mid-level salaried point guards at the most.
Word out is that upcoming free agent Jeremy Lin is a strong candidate to fill in the void. With the departure of Ellis and Rondo, the Mavs only have Raymond Felton, JJ Barrea and Devin Harris to turn to and Lin should be a wise and reasonable choice.
Lin is coming off a forgettable season with the Los Angeles Lakers and will likely be offered a lower pay check next season. And with that in mind, Lin has suddenly become a prime target by multiple teams seeking to properly come up with the best possible scenario while not going over the team’s salary cap.
Aside from the Mavericks, other teams interested in Lin include the Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Houston Rockets and the Brooklyn Nets.
The Mavericks may have an advantage if they are serious in acquiring Lin since Chandler Parsons holds close ties with the Asian-American standout. Parsons and Lin were teammates when both were still playing for the Houston Rockets.