NBA Trade Rumors, Speculation: 10 Monta Ellis Deals for Golden State Warriors

Monta Ellis has been the center of numerous trade rumors this offseason. Even though the lockout is still going strong, multiple teams have been linked to the Golden State Warriors in pursuit of the shooting guard.

Ellis is highly sought-after because of his ability to drive and shoot from the perimeter. These are 10 possibilities that could send Ellis out of the Bay Area by next season. They include nine ideas between two teams, but the last is a blockbuster deal between three.

Bucks: Andrew Bogut for Monta Ellis

Bucks Get

A quick, athletic shooting guard. He and Brandon Jennings would make an extremely fast, impressive backcourt. Jennings at point guard, paired with Ellis at the 2-guard, will be a force to be reckoned with.

Warriors Get

A definite upgrade at center. Andrew Bogut’s defense is his strength and a dominant defensive center would improve the Warriors greatly. He’s injury-prone, though, so dealing Monta Ellis for him would be a huge risk.

Pacers: Danny Granger for Monta Ellis

Pacers Get

A speedy shooting guard in Monta Ellis. Larry Bird is quite the fan of Ellis, too, so he’d be very happy making a trade to make him a Pacer.

Warriors Get

An upgrade at small forward. Danny Granger’s scoring ability would make up for the loss of Ellis. Granger’s veteran status would help the Warriors as well.

Lakers: Pau Gasol for Monta Ellis and Charlie Bell

Lakers Get

A young, athletic 2-guard who will play well with Kobe Bryant. Bryant and the rest of the Laker frontline are getting old, and having someone like Monta Ellis will bring a youthful spark as Los Angeles looks to start rebuilding with new stars. Having Charlie Bell off the bench would help too.

Warriors Get

An aging yet still skilled big man who would probably work well with Ekpe Udoh. Pau Gasol can draw the double-team, meaning there will be more opportunity for scoring on the outside. Gasol’s veteran and playoff resume will help an inexperienced Warriors team gain confidence and keep improving.

Grizzlies: Rudy Gay for Monta Ellis and Charlie Bell

Grizzlies Get

A perimeter scorer to replace Rudy Gay. Monta Ellis will spend more time around the three-point line, giving Zach Randolph some space. They’ll also get another guard in Charlie Bell to play off the bench.

Warriors Get

An All-Star forward. Rudy Gay would bring both depth and flexibility to the Warriors. Plus, Jerry West loves Gay and would probably be extremely happy to bring him to the team.

Magic: Dwight Howard, Hedu Turkoglu for Ellis, Udoh, Biedrins, First-Round Pick

Magic Get

A much-needed scorer like Monta Ellis, who can drive to the basket as well as shoot threes. Ellis has issues on defense, but that could change if he moves to a team with one of the best defenses in the league.

Ekpe Udoh is good on defense and looks promising as a small or power forward. Andris Biedrins would be the replacement backup center the Magic would get in return for being able to dump Hedu Turkoglu’s contract. The future first-round pick would help, too.

Warriors Get

Dwight Howard. That’s pretty self-explanatory. Howard would be a huge addition to the Warriors as they work towards building a playoff-caliber team.

Timberwolves: Kevin Love, Brad Miller for Ellis, Udoh and Minnesota Contract

Minnesota Gets

A good complement to Ricky Rubio. Monta Ellis won’t have to deal with being point guard at all with Rubio, so he can focus on his role as a 2-guard and do what he does best—score. They’ve also got a budding young forward in Ekpe Udoh and get to unload an unwanted contract.

Warriors Get

A strong, young power forward that will have a definite impact on the team. Kevin Love played a huge part on the Timberwolves last season and will do the same for the Warriors. They’d also get Brad Miller, who was already on one end of a trade this offseason. He’s nearing the end of his career but could help as a power forward or center off the bench.

Philadelphia 76ers: Andre Iguodala for Monta Ellis

76ers Get

A high-volume scorer that can occasionally play the point to give Jrue Holiday some freedom on the court. His quickness and scoring ability gives him the traits of someone the 76ers are looking for.

Warriors Get

Size and defense. Andre Iguodala could work with Dorrell Wright. The two could switch off between the SF and SG positions. He’s great at defense, can handle the ball well and would play well with Stephen Curry.

Hawks: Josh Smith for Monta Ellis

Hawks Get

A scorer who can shoot from behind the arc, drive and get to the foul line. He will be able to get more foul shots than the likes of Joe Johnson, Jamal Crawford or Kirk Hinrich. Monta Ellis also handles the ball better than Josh Smith. His youth and athleticism are things the Hawks want.

Warriors Get

A skilled forward who will bring size to the team. Josh Smith’s defense is much better than Ellis’ as well. He can drive to the basket and is quick on both ends of the court.

Trail Blazers: Wes Matthews, Nicolas Batum and Cap Filler for Monta Ellis

Trail Blazers Get

A guard that will complement the other two young players of Raymond Felton and Brandon Roy. Monta Ellis isn’t afraid of taking the ball to the basket and is a great scorer. Ellis could help the Blazers get off more shot opportunities as a 2-guard. He’d play consistently along LaMarcus Aldridge.

Warriors Get

A young, inexperienced forward, but Nicolas Batum will progress and soon become a good force. He’s got a good wingspan and could provide the physicality the Warriors need under the basket. Wes Matthews is a young guard who’s decent and solid. Both are young, very skilled and have reasonable contracts.

Hawks-Magic-Warriors Three-Way Deal

Stay with me here. This is probably the most unlikely deal, mainly because it deals with three teams that are dealing their superstars. But if everyone agreed it could work.

Hawks Get David Lee, Jameer Nelson, and [EDIT] Hedu Turkoglu

Nelson would be a good point guard off the bench. Lee could turn into a great power forward or center. They also get to dump Marvin Williams’ contract.

Magic Get Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins, Ekpe Udoh and Marvin Williams

Monta Ellis is the big scorer that Orlando needs. They also get Ekpe Udoh, a promising young small or power forward. Andris Biedrins could serve as the replacement backup center and Marvin Williams as a small forward off the bench. [EDIT] They also get to unload Turkoglu's contract.

Warriors Get Dwight Howard and Josh Smith

These are two friends from childhood that could turn the Warriors franchise around completely. No more explanation necessary.

Your Turn

Which trade do you think is the most likely? Which is/are ridiculous? Leave a comment here with your own ideas!

You can also send me your ideas on twitter; tweet me @itsallyduhh.

Do you think Monta Ellis will even end up leaving the Warriors? Start the conversation here.