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.
Sources tell me and @KellyIkoNBA that Monta Ellis worked out for the #Rockets this week.@ShamsCharania and @JonKrawczynski reported earlier this week he worked out in Dallas. https://t.co/3JSIc0D5vN
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) September 4, 2021
