When Rajon Rondo and Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle got into a heated shouting match during a game last month, it appeared inevitable that Rondo would become a problem in the locker room. The more we learn, the more it seems like Monta Ellis is the real concern.
Ellis finished with 11 points on just 4-of-22 shooting in a loss to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. He went 0-for-8 in the fourth quarter, which was a big part of the reason the Mavs blew a six-point lead with six minutes remaining.
According to Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com, Ellis’ inability to make shots isn’t the only thing that has the team concerned.
Regardless of whether anyone will admit it on the record, Ellis is a big part of that problem. Folks in the Mavs organization have been fretting for weeks about the impact Ellis’ moodiness has on the team’s soul.
That, of course, isn’t a first for Ellis. He had trouble getting along with teammates during his tenure with the Golden State Warriors, who never won anything of note with Ellis as the go-to guy and made an addition-by-subtraction deal by shipping him off. The same was true with the Milwaukee Bucks.
MacMahon reminds us that the Mavericks were only able to sign Ellis to a three-year, $25 million contract after it was discovered that Devin Harris needed toe surgery. Ellis played at a high level through the first half of the deal, but he has since gone ice cold — apparently in more ways than one.
After Sunday’s loss, Carlisle unloaded on the team with some pretty strong words. Given the reports about Ellis’ perceived state of mind, you have to imagine some of Carlisle’s frustration was directed toward the sharp shooter.
