Monta Ellis worked out for both the Rockets and Mavericks in recent days, according to The Athletic. Is there a potential fit in Houston?
Veteran guard Monta Ellis worked out recently for the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks, according to The Athletic. Now 35 years old, Ellis wants to return to the NBA for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
In 12 previous NBA seasons, Ellis averaged 17.8 points (45.1% FG, 31.4% on 3-pointers), 4.6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in 34.8 minutes per game. The 6-foot-3 guard wildly overachieved expectations after being drafted by Golden State at No. 40 overall in the 2005 second round, and he won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award in 2007.
After his time with the Warriors, Ellis went on to play with Milwaukee, Dallas, and Indiana for two seasons each.
Now in his mid 30s, it remains to be seen if Ellis still has his peak athletic form — though it should be noted that he has less “mileage” on his body than many players of that age, due to not playing since 2017.
On paper, there doesn’t seem to be a roster fit for Ellis in Houston, since the Rockets already have a crowded backcourt with veterans John Wall and Eric Gordon and talented prospects like Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green. However, given the likelihood of injuries or future transactions, it makes sense for general manager Rafael Stone to continue surveying the landscape to remain knowledgeable of the team’s outside options.
With no hoops on the schedule, Warriors Wire is rewinding through Golden State’s history for memorable matchups and standout performances.
With no hoops on the calendar, Warriors Wire is rewinding the tape back through Golden State’s history for memorable matchups, standout performances and everything else in between.
With Stephen Curry sidelined early in the 2010 season, Monta Ellis took over the Golden State Warriors offense for a battle with Rudy Gay and the Memphis Grizzlies.
November 3, 2010
After suffering an injury against the Los Angeles Lakers, Curry missed his second consecutive game with a sprained right ankle. Without their sophomore point guard, Keith Smart gave the keys to Ellis in a matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies.
The veteran shooting guard tallied a game-high 39 points on 12-of-26 shooting from the field. After the Grizzlies trimmed Golden State’s first-half lead from 12 to five in the third quarter, Ellis exploded. The veteran shooting guard closed out the game with 17 of his 39 points coming in the fourth quarter.
Rudy Gay traded buckets with Ellis in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of his 35 points for the Grizzlies late in the game. Yet, it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.
On top of his impressive scoring display, Ellis tacked on nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals against Memphis.
Behind Ellis, David Lee registered a double-double with 15 points on 5-of-17 shooting with 16 boards. The Florida product added three steals, two assists and a block against Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies.
Without Curry, Dorrell Wright caught fire from long distance in a starting role. Wright splashed 7-of-14 attempts from beyond the arc in 43 minutes against the Grizzlies.
Following his high-scoring performance against the Grizzlies, Ellis notched 39 or more points seven times during his 2010-2011 campaign.
With their win against the Grizzlies, the Warriors moved to 3-1 in the early season.
In 2009, Davidson’s Stephen Curry tallied 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting with seven assists and four steals in his NBA debut against the Rockets.
Although it’s not the anniversary of a championship or memorable performance, October 28 will mark the arrival of the Golden State Warriors’ future two-time Most Valuable Player.
After drafting Stephen Curry with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Davidson product laced up for the Golden State Warriors for the first time on Oct. 28 against the Houston Rockets.
October 28, 2009
In his first time suiting up in an NBA uniform, the 21-year-old drew a start at shooting guard for Don Nelson in Golden State’s home opener. During his first game, the rookie recorded 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field with seven assists, four steals and two rebounds in 36 minutes.
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Surprisingly the sharpshooting prospect only pulled up from beyond the arc once in his debut, missing his lone long-distance attempt.
Watch highlights from Curry’s NBA debut via YouTube:
Monta Ellis led the game in scoring with 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the field in Golden State’s 108-107 loss to the Rockets on opening night.
On his way to earning a spot on the All-Rookie First Team, Curry averaged 17.5 points on 46.2% shooting from the field with 5.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals per contest. The young Splash Brother knocked down 43.7% from 3-point range on 4.8 attempts per game.
After selecting Ike Diogu out of Arizona State in 2005 draft, the Golden State Warriors landed Monta Ellis out of Lanier High School in the second round.
As 22 teams prepare to finish the NBA season in the Orlando Bubble, the Golden State Warriors will have the opportunity to turn their attention to the draft.
For the first time since 2002, the Warriors will have the opportunity to own a top-five pick. As draft season starts to heat up, Bob Myers and Steve Kerr still have months to prepare before they’re on the clock. Before they make their first-round choice, Warriors Wire is digging back through some of Golden State’s memorable draft days.
Draymond Green’s name will always be listed as Golden State’s success story in the second round. However, before the Michigan State product landed in the Bay Area, the Warriors were fortunate finding another memorable playmaker outside of the first round.
June 28, 2005
The 2005 edition of the draft began with future Warrior Andrew Bogut getting selecting first overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. Jumping to the No. 9 overall pick, Golden State drafted Ike Diogu out of Arizona State.
Although their first-round pick never lived up to the expectation, the Warriors made up for it in the second round. With the No. 40 overall selection, the Golden State Warriors landed Monta Ellis out of Lanier High School in Mississippi.
In his rookie season, Ellis averaged 6.8 points on 41.5 from the field. The high school product added 2.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
Watch highlights from his rookie year via YouTube:
With his numbers doubling in his sophomore season, Ellis quickly skyrocketed to a fan favorite in the Bay Area. In his second year, the Mississippi State commit averaged 16.5 points and 4.1 assists per contest.
Alongside Baron Davis and Jason Richardson in 2007, Ellis brought home the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. The explosive shooting guard was instrumental in Golden State’s “We Believe” campaign against the Dallas Mavericks. Ellis earned a bid to the NBA’s Rookie versus Sophomore game at All-Star Weekend.
Outside of Bogut and Ellis, other notable members of the 2005 draft class included Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Danny Granger, Nate Robinson, David Lee and fellow second-round pick Lou Williams.
Former Warriors GM Larry Riley acknowledged that the Bucks inquired about Steph Curry during Andrew Bogut trade talks. How seriously did Golden State consider it?
The Golden State Warriors trade Monta Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks for center Andrew Bogut in 2013, a deal that put the Warriors one step closer to the dynasty.
It’s been rumored the Bucks wanted Curry. On the Papa & Lund Podcast, former Warriors general manager Larry Riley acknowledged that Golden State did allow Curry’s name to be brought up in discussion, though he said it was a bargaining tactic.
“Here was the deal: We were playing chess,” Riley said.
Apparently, teams were making calls to Golden State regarding Curry, thinking the Warriors may be willing to trade him and keep Monta Ellis as the face of the franchise.
No teams called about Ellis, however, according to Riley.
When the Warriors got word that Milwaukee was looking to move Bogut, Golden State saw a chance to trade Ellis and get a much-needed interior presence.
But the Bucks wanted Curry.
“My thought process was, ‘OK, we’ll talk about Steph, and then we’ll see where it goes and we’ll see if we can swing this thing around to Monta Ellis,” Riley said. “It is true that Milwaukee softened a little bit because of Steph’s ankle history.”
Curry had surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right ankle in May 2011. He missed nine of the first 14 games in the lockout-shortened 2012 season, and sprained his ankle again on March 11 of that year, which caused him to miss the rest of the season.
Two days after Curry’s injury, the trade with the Bucks was announced.
“It is true, we started that conversation, but it was always in the back of my mind, we’re not going to trade Steph, we want to try to swing this thing over to Monta Ellis,” Riley said. “That’s actually the way it happened, so we had some good fortune there as well.”
In the a trade article, ESPN wrote that Bogut had struggled with injuries, and Stephen Jackson, who was also traded to the Warriors, had been receiving limited playing time after missing a shootaround and being suspended for “verbally abusing an official.”
Milwaukee insisted on more than Ellis, leading the Warriors to include center Ekpe Udoh.
Of course, this whole recollection is from the former Warriors general manager who has full hindsight of how Curry’s career took off while Ellis’ didn’t. Take it with a grain of salt: Nobody in the world would admit they almost traded Curry.
Riley did more or less point this out after being asked directly by Papa & Lund if Curry would have been in the Bogut deal instead of Ellis: “I’m supposed to say no, and no is true. You’ll have a lot of people who won’t believe that.”
But it could be as straightforward as what Riley said: The Bucks preferred Curry and brought him up in discussion, which is a highly logical. The Warriors did not shut the door on discussion but instead tried to steer it toward Ellis, also a smart move. And in the end, Milwaukee liked the thought of adding a guard who averaged more than 20 points while moving an oft-injured center and a veteran who didn’t get much playing time. The Warriors, who were ready to make Klay Thompson a full-time starter, add a big man, and potentially get a higher lottery pick — is that Harrison Barnes’ music? — readily agreed.
The “We Believe” Warriors deserve a documentary series of their own.
With the success of ESPN’s 30 for 30 series “The Last Dance,” which Golden State Warriors team should get documentary-style treatment?
While a documentary on the current championship teams or the “Run TMC” era would be entertaining, one Golden State squad should be at the front of the list.
After going on a tear through the final 20 games in the 2006-2007 season to earn a playoff bid, the “We Believe” Warriors were born.
The gritty combination of Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Matt Barnes, Al Harrington and Andris Biedrins formed a memorable underdog streak in Golden State Warriors history.
The first round of the 2007 NBA playoffs was the crown jewel in the “We Believe” run.
May 3, 2007
After squeaking into the postseason, the Warriors suited up with the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
The Warriors burst out of the gate hot, surprising the Mavericks with a pair of 30 point performances from Davis. After four games, the eighth-seeded Warriors were in the driver seat with a 3-1 lead heading into Dallas.
Facing elimination, the 2007 Most Valuable Player Dirk Nowitzki responded with 30 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Mavericks to another game. With the chance to close out the Mavs in Oakland, Golden State didn’t miss.
After a tight first half, the Warriors blasted the Mavericks in the third quarter outscoring Dallas 36-15 to set the Bay Area crowd into a celebration frenzy. Jackson dropped 33 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the field with seven triples from beyond the arc. Nowitzki was held to only eight points on 2-of-13 shooting. Davis, Barnes and Biedrins each added double-doubles in Golden State’s shocking 111-86 series-clinching victory at Oracle Arena.
Watch highlights from the Warriors improbable win in game six via YouTube:
The Warriors became the third eighth seed in NBA history to knock off the top seed in the first round of the playoffs.
Against the Mavericks, Davis averaged 25.0 points with 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals per contest. Jackson added 22.8 points per game, with 47.5% shooting from long distance.
Despite being eliminated by the Utah Jazz in the second round, Golden State’s “We Believe” run is still celebrated 13 years later.
James Harden and Dwight Howard each set playoff career-highs (at the time) with 42 points and 26 rebounds in a Game 3 victory at Dallas.
Superstar guard James Harden and starting center Dwight Howard each set new playoff career-highs (at the time) with 42 points and 26 rebounds, respectively, in Houston’s road win at Dallas on April 24, 2015.
The 130-128 win (box score) gave the Rockets a commanding 3-0 lead in the first-round series, which they closed out in five games. The Mavs were led by 34 points apiece from Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis.
Harden had shot just 32.1% combined (22.2% on 3-pointers) in the first two games of the series. But he silenced any doubters in Game 3 by scoring 42 in Dallas on 62.5% shooting, including 5-of-7 (71.4%) on treys. He also hit a clutch mid-range shot in the final minute secure the win.
The 2014-15 Rockets went 56-26 in the regular season and were the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. As expected, they took care of the No. 7 Mavericks with relative ease, and Houston eventually reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1996-97.
Harden eventually exceeded his Game 3 total versus Dallas by scoring 45 points in Game 4 against Golden State, who went on to win that season’s NBA title. That total remains his career playoff high today. After the 2014-15 season concluded, Harden was named MVP by his fellow players.
Jason Richardson is one of the best dunkers of all time, whether it be throwing down in-game or dunk contest jams.
When Jason Richardson leaped toward the rim, defenders were vulnerable and at his mercy. Richardson, one of the best dunkers ever, regularly put players on posters during his 13-year NBA career.
Richardson made his name in the Bay Area, showcasing his high-flying abilities with the Golden State Warriors for the first six seasons of his career.
While playing with the Warriors, Richardson flew around the court. Richardson’s combination of quickness, agility and hops molded him into an underrated player during his era. Aside from throwing down jams, Richardson could score and shoot at a solid clip.
Richardson scored 18.3 points per game and shot 35.0% from the 3-point line during his time with the Warriors. According to Basketball Reference, he ranks third all-time in Warriors history for 3-pointers made (700).
Though Richardson was talented, he was never an All-Star and only went to the playoffs four times during his career. One of those seasons was in Golden State during the 2007 postseason, the year where the “We Believe” Warriors shined.
Playing alongside Monta Ellis and Baron Davis, Richardson and the No. 8 seed Warriors defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 4-2, in the first round of the playoffs. Richardson averaged 19.5 points per game and 6.8 rebounds in that series.
The Mavericks were the top seed in the Western Conference, and they had the best record in the league. That season’s Warriors are one of five teams in league history to defeat a No. 1 seed. Golden State lost in five games against the Utah Jazz during the semifinals.
Some of the most exciting moments of Richardson’s career came during All-Star weekend, when he had all-time performances at the 2002 and 2003 slam dunk contests.
Richardson won in both years, throwing down windmills and reverse jams among others.
Let’s play a game: Respond with a favorite video/GIF to describe your age.
After playing for the Warriors, Richardson played for the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Charlotte Hornets), Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 17.1 points per game and shot 37.0% from deep during his career. Richardson scored a career-high 23.2 points during the 2005-06 season, his second-to-last season with the Warriors.
He might not end up being a Hall of Famer, but as a two-time dunk contest champ, his archive of jams and posters will serve as a reminder: Richardson is one of the ultimate high flyers in basketball history.
The Run-TMC era was short, but it was one of the most fun times in the franchise’s history.
The Golden State Warriors have a history that’s steeped with players who’ve played basketball fast and fun.
Steph Curry and Klay Thompson quickly come to mind for today’s game, but Baron Davis, Monta Ellis and Jason Richardson are former players who regularly showcased their athleticism in an up-tempo style for Warriors fans.
Other than the Splash Brothers era, a time filled with high-octane offense, the Run TMC era is one of the most memorable periods in Warriors history. Tim Hardaway Sr., Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin only played together during the 1989-90 and 1990-91 seasons, but their brief stint as teammates was filled with up-tempo basketball.
For more on the Run TMC era, check out ESPN’s featured story on Hardaway, Richmond and Mullin.
1989-90: Run TMC’s first season together
During the 1989-90 season the Warriors went 37-45, going under .500 after making it as far as the Western Conference semifinals the season before.
In their first season together, Hardaway, Richmond and Mullin prospered, showing what they could do as a group. With Hardaway running the offense during his rookie year, he scored 14.1 points per game and shot 47.1% from the field.
He led the team in assists per game that season (8.7), and throughout his career with the franchise he displayed acute floor generalship; Hardaway is third all-time in assists for Warriors history (3,926).
A Hall of Famer, Richmond was playing his sophomore season during the 1989-90 campaign. He built on his rookie season, scoring 22.1 points per game and shooting 49.7% from the field. Richmond was the Warriors’ second-leading scorer in 1989-90, right behind Mullin.
Mullin scored 25.1 points per game, shooting 53.6% from the field and 37.2% from the 3-point line during his first season with Richmond and Hardaway.
A fellow Hall of Famer, Mullin had already played four seasons before Run TMC was formed. In each of his first four seasons, Mullin scored at least 14.0 points a game. He scored a career-high 26.5 points in 1988-89, his fourth season in the league. Mullin is fifth all-time in Warriors history for points (16,235) and 3-pointers (590).
Tim Hardaway Sr. changed the ankle-breaking game. Never forget the Killer Crossover. pic.twitter.com/sNSoVDifym
Though Run TMC and the Warriors didn’t make the playoffs during the 1989-90 season, Golden State’s star trio showed what lied ahead, especially in terms of fast-paced play. According to Basketball Reference, the Warriors led the league in pace that season (105.9).
1990-91: Run TMC goes to the playoffs
Hardaway, Richmond and Mullin expanded on their collective success in their second season together, leading the Warriors to the playoffs.
The team was second in pace during the 1990-91 season, and they had a record of 44-38. Mullin, Richmond and Hardaway were the Warriors top three scorers, with Mullin leading the team in points (25.7).
Hardaway continued to improve, scoring 22.9 points per game and shooting 47.6% from the field in his sophomore season. Richmond also continued to be a scoring threat, averaging 23.9 points a game — that’s the second-highest average of his career.
The trio led the Warriors to a first-round win against the San Antonio Spurs, but then they ran into Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Warriors lost 4-1 in the semifinals, only snagging Game 2 in a 125-124 win.
Johnson had a game-high 44 points, and Mullin scored a team-high 41 points for Golden State. The performance tied a playoff career-high Mullin set in 1989 during a matchup against the Utah Jazz.
End of Run TMC
As the Warriors came off their playoff appearance, Run TMC didn’t last much longer. Richmond was traded to the Sacramento Kings for the 1991-92 season.
With Richmond gone, Run TMC was done, and the Warriors only made the playoffs two other seasons during the 1990s; they didn’t make it past the first round either time. Richmond went on to play seven seasons with the Kings, and each of his six All-Star appearances came when he played for Sacramento.
