Indiana Pacers Are Relying on Monta Ellis to Be Paul George's Perfect Wingman
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Talk to the Indiana Pacers, and the overwhelming response to questions about Monta Ellis is that he could hardly be a better fit.
It's time for the shooting guard to prove the flattery isn't misguided.
Ellis recently signed a four-year deal worth $44 million to join his fourth team in six years and an organization that underwent a handful of major changes during the offseason.
In came a fast-paced offensive system that president of basketball operations Larry Bird and head coach Frank Vogel agreed would be instituted immediately after the 2014-15 season ended.
Gone are stalwarts like Roy Hibbert's lack of speed, which was shipped off with him to the Los Angeles Lakers. Though the Pacers had reached consecutive Eastern Conference Finals before Paul George's injury last year, David West sought a better chance at a championship and bolted for the San Antonio Spurs.
The changes depleted the experience in the frontcourt and will force George to slide up from small forward to stretch 4, so the roster was essentially begging for a player with Ellis' skill set.
George Hill is a fine point guard, but he's more of a distributor than he is dynamic. C.J. Miles is a terrific shooting weapon, but he's not going to lead an offense. Rodney Stuckey could step into the void, but that would leave no ball-handler on the bench.
The 29-year old Ellis, on the other hand, offers a skill set Vogel considers the ideal match to Indiana's personnel.
"I think if you're going to play a spread lineup with Paul George at the 4," Vogel said, "you gotta have some high-quality basket-attackers and drivers and guys who can really get into the lane and create things. He fits that mold perfectly."
For the last two seasons, Ellis keyed the Dallas Mavericks pick-and-roll-based offense. According to NBA.com, in 2014-15, only Damian Lillard registered more possessions than Ellis as the ball-handler in those situations.
That experience gives the Pacers a second option to initiate the offense, which relieved some pressure on George to constantly create for himself.
"We needed that," George said. "We had that when Lance [Stephenson] was here to take pressure of myself, take pressure off George [Hill]. I don't have to be a facilitator. I can focus more on stretching and being a spot-shooter, as opposed to exerting a lot of energy on playmaking and getting shots for myself."
When George was last healthy for a full season (in 2013-14), he posted an outstanding 60 in effective field-goal percentage on catch-and-shoot looks, according to NBA.com. On attempts where George touched the ball for at least two seconds before firing, it dropped to a porous 40.8 percent.
George buried 42.3 percent of his threes when he took zero dribbles. Once the forward put the ball on the floor, from then on, his long-distance clip plummeted to 24.5 percent.
If Ellis' passing ultimately allows his star teammate to contribute more often as a catch-and-shooter, it's easy to understand why Vogel said there's "no doubt" the addition gave Indiana the confidence to use George at the 4.
Now, it's realistic to wonder whether George and Ellis could occasionally adversely affect the offense's spacing, since both players are most effective from the mid-range. But as long as George and Ellis aren't fighting for 18-footers from the same spot, the Pacers offense can flourish.
Given that Ellis favors the right elbow to start his attack, George often drifts toward the left wing and the low-key combo of Hill and Miles offer three-point threats, Vogel said he isn't concerned about potential overlaps.
"Monta's playing with a group that has a lot of perimeter shooting—C.J. Miles, Paul George, George Hill—so I think that's going to benefit him in terms of trying to get to the basket."
It shouldn't take long for Pacers players to realize that Ellis' attacking the rim means they should move to a vacant place on the perimeter, and he'll recognize that each member of the aforementioned trio is an excellent shooting option. Since 2009, Ellis has averaged 5.5 assists per game.
He is adapting to new teammates, so an adjustment period is to be expected. Nevertheless, he has connected on 21 of 42 attempts and dished 15 assists during the preseason, even as he missed Thursday night's 98-86 exhibition win against the Charlotte Hornets in Fort Wayne due to a respiratory issue.
Once the learning curve has concluded, though, Indiana should have its optimal man. Considering an NBA scout with prior experience in the Mavericks organization called Ellis a "perfect fit," the Pacers could hardly have signed a better player for a role they desperately needed to fill.
But this is merely talk for now.
Plagued by fluctuating shot selection and occasionally shaky basketball relationships at his previous stops, Ellis must prove he's a perfect fit for a team that wants him around for more than a couple years.
Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Contract information via HoopsHype. Follow Bleacher Report Writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.
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