Sometime today, representatives for Monta Ellis and Don Nelson will sit down to discuss the future of the Warriors’ franchise player.
Both sides are playing coy about the meeting’s details, but it’s likely to resemble your basic hostage negotiation (footage of the Warriors' game in Boston Wednesday night may be used as proof of life).
Both sides want Ellis extracted from Golden State - now they just need to establish a timeline.
Ellis waited patiently while Stephen Jackson fought for a trade, and now he can cement his rightful place in franchise lore, inheriting the mantle of most disgruntled player in Golden State.
It's a noteworthy distinction, considering Ellis' predecessors at the position. It’s a distinguished list, and reads like a who’s who of star-crossed talent: Webber. Sprewell. Hardaway. Fortson. The list goes on.
Once Ellis is moved, Golden State can finally begin focusing on disenfranchising their new, less distinguished crop of talent: Curry, Morrow, and Randolph.
We’re not far from the day when Golden State will have to worry about players defecting on road trips, fleeing the team hotel in the dead of night like Cuban baseball players.
As one of three players remaining from the “We Believe” days, Ellis belongs to a dying breed. Rare is the Warrior who has tasted success here in Oakland.
This should be Ellis' big moment, his chance to step up and lead the team on the court, now that big brothers Jackson and Baron Davis are hoisting their shots elsewhere. Yet the moment Jackson was exiled to Charlotte, Ellis immediately began shirking any additional responsibilities.
When asked about his role on the team, Ellis provided non-committal answers from the same script used by Jackson, who borrowed it from Al Harrington, who found it buried in Nick Van Exel's old locker.
Ellis’ quiet nature may make it difficult for him to assume a leadership position, but there's more to it than that. Golden State’s leading scorer got into a spat with head coach Don Nelson in New York last week, and Nelson reportedly quashed Ellis’ post-game speech in the locker room following an embarrassing home loss to the Clippers.
After Tuesday night’s Cleveland game, Nelson was quoted as saying, "I'm coaching the coaches. I don't coach the players as much." Surely the Warriors aren’t playing without a head coach, “Varsity Blues”-style?
Nelson’s ability to alienate his best players is eerily reminiscent of Bud Kilmer, but he also shares Kilmer’s need for control. His attempts to portray himself as merely a caretaker are disingenuous at best, harmful at worst.
Whether ceding control of team practices to his assistants or publicly shrugging off his contributions to the Warriors’ on-court struggles, Nelson is setting a feeble example for his players.
Between the head coach’s bizarre behavior, the ineptitude of the owner and the team president, and the rich losing tradition this organization has cultivated, it's difficult to begrudge any player for not wanting to waste his career here.
The Warriors harbor no loyalty to their employees, as Ellis witnessed firsthand when Mullin and Davis were awkwardly discarded. He’s seen it in the way Nelson handled Harrington and Jamal Crawford, making them feel unwelcome on their own team.
Eventually, this issue spills over beyond spoiled millionaires complaining about their lot in life, and into a case of employees looking to escape a toxic work environment.
As Ellis prepares to leave, it’s impossible to envision the Warriors getting anything close to fair value for him, given their apparent insistence on giving up their best players for role players (Hardaway and Gatling for Coles and Willis, anyone?). The front office is likely just grateful that thanks to Ellis’ diminutive size, they’ll save money on shipping when they finally do send him packing.
For the Bay Area fans helplessly watching this unfold, the back-to-back losses of Jackson and Ellis create something of a sky-is-falling atmosphere. But things could be worse.
After all, no one’s asking them to build any pyramids. And they don’t have to worry about other teams attempting to sign away their franchise player.
So let’s focus on the bright side. Ellis may follow Jackson out the door, but the Warriors are far from doomed. If history serves correctly, they're only eleven years away from their next playoff team.
The Oakland Sports Examiner.
Comments
If they do trade him, they better get back something good. Love him or hate him, Ellis is an offensive machine and the team will be MUCH worse without him. His ability to get to the hole and finish shouldn't be underestimated (neither should his jumper). And, I swear he's not as bad on defense as he used to be.
He's not going anywhere. They just want to clear the air.
"We’re not far from the day when Golden State will have to worry about players defecting on road trips, fleeing the team hotel in the dead of night like Cuban baseball players." LMAO
The team will dump Monta, hand the keys to Stephen Curry and tout him as the "Fresh Face of the Franchise", until Daddy Dell comes to pimp slap Nelson and Rowell for some future transgression; then Steph too will be gone.
The only constant: CHRIS COHAN.
Thought you meant Mark Ellis at first. Yikes! Clarify those headlines!
I like Ellis. To me though if we can get a 20 point 2 guard that is 6-5 or better I say do it.
The only post-Jack game i have seen was last night. The ball was moving in the first half, they were driving to the bucket more often then not.
Here are a couple things with Ellis. He is the starting PG. I saw him drive on I think 3 consecutive plays, he was blocked once at least and did not score on the others. On those same plays Morrow was wide open as the defense callapsed. Morrow is your best shooter. The Starting PG should know this.
I like Raja Bell and Vlad. Talk about team players. Both played well last night.
Of course this dismisses MOnta's statement that he doesn't know where these stories are coming from (Tim K to begin with)but he said before and still means that he wants to remain a Warrior. Nellie, who has a history of being less forthcoming, says he wants Monta. And you state both sides want out, in the face of these recent comments. Is it Unwarriorlike to ask where your source for this information is? Bloggerland and it's 1 for 200 ratio of correct rumors to bullbleep?
source?
Ellis’ quiet nature may make it difficult for him to assume a leadership position, but there's more to it than that. Golden State’s leading scorer got into a spat with head coach Don Nelson in New York last week, and Nelson reportedly quashed Ellis’ post-game speech in the locker room following an embarrassing home loss to the Clippers
You obviously didn't read the interview the Boston Globe id with Monta after the game. He is going nowhere you IDIOT! He says he is the new leader of the team dumfk!!!!
Man whomever is writing for the Oakland sports examiner is stealing what myself and Avburk are writing about on the ESPN.com Golden State Warriors message board. And you know what... I'm glad they are. Whomever wrote this article needs to read what myself and Avburk have written on that message board. The Topic "A Protest is our Only option" needs to be published, so we can start taking some online polls on ESPN.com about Chris Cohan selling our beloved Franchise to someone....FAST!
When Nelson went through his first go round with the W's he was under fire after the Warriors upset a couple of first rounders just becuase he never got them passed the next round he became the problem rather then the solution, according to the "experts." No one, and I mean no one called for his head before Chris Webber, nor did anyone complain during the Maverick series, obviously winning cures all ailments. But I ask the author of the article above, do you think you could be reporting what you hope will occur so that the story contains what you obviuosly lack...professionalism in the face of adversity. What a pitiful way to entice the fans to embrace their local team. Are you taking your advice and betting against Golden State? I hope you are losing your ass if you are doing so! Go Warriors!!!
The Warriors will do what they always do. Have a couple of good players but never a good team.I say we should get another mascot so the fans can at least have a great time out. If you're a warrior fan, look for the entertainment and not the win.
biedrins, monta and a million for dwight howard.... solves 1 of many franchise problems.... and cohan needs to sell the franchise to oracle they offered and cohan declined. it's hard when your favorite team is 3rd worse, but at least we get a shot at wall
WHAT else is new about the warriors??? EVERY time we have a future star,some thing goes wrong!!!TILL we find an owner that cares it will be same results!!!(P.S.)KEEP MONTE ELLIS!!
Disgusting article. Your comparisons of the Hardaway and Ellis situations are terrible. If you truly are not a Warriors fan, go to Sacramento
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