Golden State Warriors: 5 Teams Monta Ellis Would Make Contenders
I'm not advocating the trade of Ellis, but let's face it, he's the most rumored name on the trade market other than Dwight Howard.
The Warriors have all the talent to be a playoff contender year in and year out, but for some reason, that talent just doesn't seem to mesh.
Monta Ellis has the ability to boost any team to a level even higher than that and help them vie for a championship.
Here are those teams.
Chicago Bulls
1 of 5The Bulls need a shooting guard.
That's no secret.
They really suffered last year in the playoffs because Derrick Rose had no reliable No. 2 scoring option.
Well, here he is ladies and gentleman.
Ellis is a talented scorer, and even playing next to a guy like Rose, he can still put up above 20 points per game.
Both Rose and Ellis can attack the rim as good as anybody in the league. Well, except for Dwyane Wade.
When you have two players with crazy penetrating skills (think LeBron and Wade), if the defenses collapse on one of them, the other one's open for a shot or a pump fake and drive to the rim for an easy lay-in.
Now try drawing up plays to defend that.
Dallas Mavericks
2 of 5Face it, the Mavericks can't repeat with their current roster (including current free agents JJ Barea, Tyson Chandler and Caron Butler).
They're getting old, and what better way to rejuvenate a team than by adding a high-octane guard who's just entering his prime?
When your starting shooting guard has a rivalry with LeBron James that only he thinks still exists in addition to a tattoo of Abraham Lincoln on his neck, you might want to try mixing things up.
Nothing against DeShawn Stevenson, but Monta is just plain better.
And it's not like there aren't enough shots to go around, either.
The other guard who would start opposite Monta knows how to distribute the ball. In fact, he's done so 11,578 times. Good enough for second place all time.
Kidd doesn't take up too many shots, and Dirk will have to start depending on other players as he grows older.
And for the rest of the team, they're older than Brontosauruses and are just barely dribbling a basketball.
Even though Butler's coming back, the Mavericks need a scoring punch to have any hope of repeating as champions.
Los Angeles Lakers
3 of 5Monta has really improved his ball-handling skills as of late and really has the tools to be an Allen Iverson-type point guard in the league.
He can distribute the ball (averaged nearly as many assists as Curry last season), and we all know that he can score at will.
Matching him up with Kobe Bryant would give you the scariest backcourt in the league, especially in the fourth quarter.
His defense will only improve when he has seven-footers like Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum behind him instead of David Lee and Andris Biedrins.
Boston Celtics
4 of 5The Celtics won't win with their current lineup.
When three of your four best players will be 34, 35 and 36 when the season begins, there's a problem
Rajon Rondo is good, but he and Jeff Green can't carry a team when the Big Three finally decide to retire, which is probably in a year or two.
Ray Allen isn't the same athletic shooter he was before.
Kevin Garnett isn't the same defensive anchor and menacing presence he was before.
Paul Pierce isn't the same slasher and shooter he was before.
Now Rajon Rondo's one weakness is his jump shot, and if he plays alongside a shooter like Monta, defenses will go crazy.
Having to guard two premier slashers in addition to an older one in Paul Pierce, who will be good but not nearly as elite, is difficult.
And this core will be around longer than Miami's will, as they are all 25 right now.
Orlando Magic
5 of 5After that 2009 Finals run, the Magic have only worsened, to a point where they lost to Atlanta in the first round this year.
Now think about the two most widely rumored names on the market both on the same team in Monta Ellis and Dwight Howard.
Similar to the situation in Los Angeles, Monta's defense would only improve when he has the comfort of knowing that the three-time DPOY is standing right there behind him.
The Magic have struggled to find that second superstar ever since they gave Rashard Lewis that ridiculous nine-figure contract. And here he is.
The Magic's offense is based on an inside-out mentality, and with a guy in Monta who can get to the bucket and finish at will, defenses have another option to worry about.
Thank you for reading!
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