Monta Ellis: Sexual Harassment Suit Adds to Nightmare That Is Warriors

The Golden State Warriors have made the playoffs once in the last 17 seasons.

New ownership was supposed to mark a change.

But it's all the same nightmare.

On Wednesday in a news conference, former Warriors employee Erika Ross Smith reportedly filed a suit against guard Monta Ellis and the Warriors for sexual harassment, alleging that Ellis sent her explicit text messages, including a photo of his genitalia, in November 2010 while she worked in the team's community relations department.

Community relations indeed.

Now the Warriors, who are already dealing with Stephen Curry's ankle injury sustained Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings, have to deal with a lawsuit in the new ownership's second season with the team.

Ellis was the team's leading scorer last season, averaging 24.1 points while shooting 45.1 percent from the floor. He also averaged 5.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals while showing a new confidence in his three-point jumper, averaging 1.7 three-pointers on 36 percent shooting.

Some, including the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, felt he deserved to make the All-Star team last season.

The days of disruption off the court were supposed to be over for the Warriors, with a new direction under owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber.

We had already seen the unrest that led to the Warriors trading forward Stephen Jackson, not to mention Ellis' moped accident in 2008's offseason that injured his left ankle and led to a 30-game suspension from the team.

Every time the Warriors appear to be headed in a new direction, they disappoint, with the exception of their upset over the Dallas Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs.

You have to wonder if this team will ever get its act together.

Odds say it won't.