Monta Ellis planned to opt out of the $8.72 million remaining on his contract.
Then, he slumped, and the Mavericks fretted about his moodiness. They even threatened not to give him a raise if he opts out.
What was once an easy call became a little more difficult, but Ellis is still headed into free agency.
Chris Broussard of ESPN:
Source: Monta Ellis will not opt-in to the final yr of his contract & will thus become a free agent this summer. Indiana & Miami interested
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) June 24, 2015
My guess is the Mavericks move on. They can shift some playmaking duties onto Chandler Parsons and use the cap space to pursue bigger fish like LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre Jordan. If they strike out on those top free agents, they could always revisit Ellis.
The Heat are probably looking at Ellis only if Dwyane Wade leaves, so maybe. This is at least a way for the Heat to send Wade the message that they have alternatives to overpaying him.
The Pacers make a little more sense, but I wouldn’t rush to take the ball out of George Hill’s hands. He seems ready for a bigger role.
Ellis, especially with the salary cap skyrocketing in 2016, should probably draw more than $8.72 million. But it’s not a lock. He needs the ball in his hands, and teams might not rush to trust him with that responsibility.