NBA free agency has gone apeshit right form the get-go this year. The only thing that matters right now is that Monta Ellis, the dynamic shotmaking 6’3″ guard from Dallas, is heading to Indy!
It was such a downer to see the heart and soul of the team, David West, opt out of the final year of his contract for less money elsewhere because he didn’t believe the team could win a championship in the near future. We’ll know how much West means that after we see who he signs with.
Everyone’s also been bashing the crap out of Roy Hibbert, who deserves a lot of it for some of the trash games he played over the last couple of years, but is the kind of player who needs all the support he can get to stay on the right mental note. Like West, I thought it was a bit of a dick move by Pacers management to throw Roy under the bus like that after all he’s done to anchor the team in the good times. I’ll be optimistic whether Roy stays or goes. He’s still a valuable rim defender even at his worst, and maybe he’s going to put in a big year to prove everyone wrong and earn a new contract while he’s at it. If he gets traded, that opens up cap space for more possibilities.
But anyway, back to Monta. He had dinner with Bird and team brass yesterday and agreed to a 4-year, $44 million deal today, with the final year being a player option. It’s more lucrative and secure than the $32m/3 deal we had been hearing about earlier on, but it’s still a massive bargain considering the crazy deals we’ve been seeing just in the first day of free agency.
The Pacers lucked out with this one as Indiana actually turned out to be an attractive destination for Monta’s family. His wife is intending to attend law school in Indy and he has two young kids in Memphis (a 4.5-hour drive away). This and a better outlook in the weak Eastern Conference was enough to sway him from a $48m/4 deal from dysfunctional Sacramento.
And let’s not pretend Monta’s alleged moodiness and team chemistry issues weren’t reasons why his stock was lower than his production (18.9 points, 4,1 assists last season). In some ways it’s like when the Pacers signed David West a few years back — they managed to lure a proven star with baggage to a small market on a good deal. With West you knew you were getting a great locker room guy and it was more about his ability following a serious injury, whereas with Monta there’s little doubt about his ability and the concerns are more with him in the locker room.
But let’s face it — if the Pacers could handle Lance Stephenson (you saw what happened in Charlotte) and weren’t afraid to go after Rajon Rondo then I’m willing to bet they’d be able to blend Monta into the team with no problems. He seemed to be doing fine in Dallas until Rondo arrived, and even if things don’t work out in Indy there will always be a market for someone of his talents.
On the court, Monta changes the whole dynamics of the team. The Pacers are in desperate need of scoring and he can do that for them with his superb shotmaking off the dribble. There have been so many plays over the last few years where the Pacers end up taking a poor shot with the shot clock winding down, and Monta will improve that situation a lot.
He’ll also instantly become the best penetrator on the team, and his underrated passing will open things up for Paul George, George Hill and CJ MIles on the perimeter. He’s also a clutch option who can make big buckets down the stretch, taking off a lot of pressure from Paul George.
Defensively, he’s undersized at the two and not very good, but perhaps Vogel could turn that around. Either that or get George Hill to play more shooting guard, which isn’t a bad idea either.
Larry Bird wants the Pacers to play faster next season, and Monta appears to be the perfect candidate to lead that charge. With the ability to play both guard spots, he gives the team a lot of flexibility. There are definitely more moves coming, but I can already envision lineups with Hill, Ellis, George, Scola and Hibbert, or Hill, Ellis, Solo, George, Mahinmi, or Ellis, Miles, George, Scola and Mahinmi. What about Hill, Ellis, Miles, George and Hibbert? Lots of possibilities with potential.
Many big questions remain for the Pacers . Will Paul George return to the player he once was or become even better? Will George Hill be able to keep up the same sensational play from last year while staying healthy? Who will the Pacers re-sign out of their remaining free agents? Will Hibbert be back or be rejuvenated? Which new players will they sign to replace the ones they’ve lost? But for now, at least, we can celebrate the arrival of a player who gives hope for the upcoming season.
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