Monta Ellis shows up at Warriors practice ... without a limp (VIDEO)

November 14, 4:59 PMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

Previous Next

15 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Golden State Warriors Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Monta Ellis was a surprise visitor to Warriors practice on Friday morning, greeting teammates and coaches and walking around the facility with a ball under his arm for much of the time.

What is most important for the Warriors’ organization and its fans, though, is what Ellis didn’t seem to have:

A limp.

That’s right. He was moving around pretty well.

Ellis, who injured his left ankle in a moped accident in September, had a little bounce in his step around the facility. He didn't seem to be favoring the injury at all.

After sustaining the injury, Ellis had to get around in a rolling walker. From there he graduated to a boot and crutches.

And now, he's getting around on his own.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Ellis is expected to have surgery on Wednesday to remove the screws that remain in his surgically repaired ankle.

Ellis’ agent, Jeff Fried, expects his client to get back out onto the court sometime around Thanksgiving week.

Ellis, who is serving a 30-game suspension and can't return until mid-December regardless, didn’t address the media.

But it must be considered a positive that Ellis was at the facility and that he was talking and joking among teammates ... any kind of grievance notwithstanding.

Said coach Don Nelson: “Yeah, it was good to see old Monta … or make that young Monta.”

When asked how Ellis will help the Warriors upon his return, Nelson said the team will obviously become better in transition because Ellis is the team’s fastest player.

Nelson also said that the Warriors’ halfcourt offense will likely improve also because Ellis is the team’s best screen-and-roll player along with Stephen Jackson.

Without Baron Davis, who was the best Warriors' screen-and-roll player a year ago, and Ellis the Warriors haven't run nearly as much of that in the halfcourt. 

ALSO: DeMarcus Nelson sent to D-League.