Monta Ellis Heads to Dallas
After firing his agent, Monta Ellis has finally found a new home.
On Friday, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported that Ellis and the Dallas Mavericks had agreed to terms on a three-year deal that would pay Ellis between $25 million and $30 million.
The fine print is still being worked out, but Ellis is off of the market. And the same can be said of Nikola Pekovic, though he is still yet to sign the four-year, $50 million offer that has reportedly been offered.
One day after Andrei Kirilenko made news around the NBA by agreeing to take a $7 million haircut, Mark Cuban has secured Ellis for what seems to be a high-value deal for a scorer of his caliber. Obviously, the Mavericks still have a ways to go before they can re-enter the conversation of NBA elites, but adding the 27-year old Ellis is a move that could have long-term, positive implications on the Mavericks franchise that became undone after winning the 2011 NBA Championship.
Where that leaves us is with Brandon Jennings. Jennings now becomes the top available free agent on the market, though his future is directly tied to Jeff Teague’s. Teague signed a four-year offer sheet with the Milwaukee Bucks to, essentially, replace Jennings.
Suddenly, Sunday becomes a huge day on the NBA free agency front.
By rule, the Hawks have three days from the time Teague signed the deal to determine whether or not they will match it, and Sunday marks the third day. Coincidentally, that is the same day that Metta World Peace will be released from the amnesty waiver wire. By the end of that day, we will know whether Teague will suit up for the Hawks or Bucks next season and whether World Peace has been claimed by an under the cap team or whether he will become an unrestricted free agent.
World Peace was amnestied by the Los Angeles Lakers late Thursday evening, but will not hit the waiver wire until 5:00pm EST on Friday. His 48-hour waiver period expires at 5:00pm EST on Sunday.
So yes, at least a few more busy days on the NBA free agency front. And here you thought all the fun would be done by July 10?
Mo Williams, Aaron Brooks, Gary Neal, Nate Robinson, Elton Brand and Dalembert are all still amongst the available free agents, but the next five days will be reminiscent of a Jeopardy lightning round. Blink, and you just may miss it.
Beno Udrih and Dejuan Blair are still available, as well.
Not exactly small potatoes, either. At least, not in our book. We will keep you plugged in.
Here are the latest updates affecting the NBA’s top remaining free agents…