<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Seeing guard Monta Ellis play, it's hard not to think of Gilbert Arenas, the Warriors second-round jewel from the 2001 draft. Ellis, one of two Warriors second-round picks in June's NBA draft, is loaded with talent, as was Arenas. Ellis is explosive on offense, as was Arenas. Ellis is supremely confident, as was Arenas. "I knew what I had to do," said Ellis, who signed with the Warriors last week. "I'm in now. I'm going to make everything else happen." For Warriors fans, this might be as unnerving as it is promising, considering how Arenas jumped ship to the Washington Wizards after just two years in Oakland. But there is nothing to fear because the days of teams picking off other teams' second-round jewels are over. Warriors fans don't have to worry about Ellis or promising power forward Chris Taft, the Warriors' other second-round pick, being stolen away if they blow up. Arenas, though a restricted free agent after his two-year rookie contract expired, was able to sign with the Washington Wizards because the over-the-cap Warriors were not able to match the Wizards' offer. Under the collective bargaining agreement in effect at the time, the most the Warriors could match was up to the midlevel exception, about $5 million. Arenas got a six-year deal for more than $60 million. But the new collective bargaining agreement, in what is dubbed the Gilbert Arenas rule, disallows teams to offer more than the midlevel exception in the first year to another team's second round pick with two or fewer years experience. That means teams are able to hold on to their second-round picks long enough to invoke their Larry Bird rights, which allows a team to offer up to the maximum deal to its own players of three years or more experience even if over the salary cap. "It's for every organization," Warriors general manager Rod Higgins said. "If you have an opportunity to have the fortune of drafting a player who turns out to be really good, then you're shut out from keeping them, nobody wants to be in that scenario. We definitely feel good about getting the both of those guys signed. We're hoping they become the caliber of Gilbert."</div> Source
We can match any offer for our draft picks, but other teams might try to call our bluff if they think we can't pay to maintain them. Plus, Ellis might be a little too good to be a backup if he truly is a Gilbert Arenas type player. I just think he's insurance in case Baron isn't able to play healthy for the next two years.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting custodianrules2:</div><div class="quote_post">We can match any offer for our draft picks, but other teams might try to call our bluff if they think we can't pay to maintain them. Plus, Ellis might be a little too good to be a backup if he truly is a Gilbert Arenas type player. I just think he's insurance in case Baron isn't able to play healthy for the next two years.</div> Ellis won't be physically ready to start for awhile, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. If in fact he develops in to an Arenas-type talent and is ready to start, then any combo of him, Pietrus, JRich, Davis may be movable in 2 years. Sounds like a great problem to have.
Here's what I thought of Monta. There's been some bias from the scouting reports on him, but hey I only saw this dude play 3 games against sub-par competition. I don't consider myself an expert on this guy by any means. Strengths: has good nba 3-point shooting... can create off the dribble... tough, is not afraid of contact... gets to the foul line... very quick for 6'3... above average floor awareness (still has a shoot first mentality a la Gilbert Arenas/Nick Van Excel). Seemed to make the team better with the ball in his hands during the last SL game (I guess we can attribute his lack of playmake skills partly due to his pass second mentality and the fact he barely knew the guys he was playing with and Diogu was on a roll unlike Diogu's game). Can hit some difficult shots on the move. Looks good in a catch and shoot role as well. Uses the triple threat position very effectively to take defenders off the dribble. Can fake a drive and hit the step back. Very fluid and advanced for a high schooler guard (contrasted to Dorrell Wright (super raw), Sebastian Telfair (no shot) and Dajuan Wagner (no court vision). Weaknesses: Experience. Didn't have the playmaking skills and experience yet to step in right away at point guard. Can be posted up by bigger, heavier combo guards like the 6'4 200 lb types from the Celtics SL roster. Might be off injured unless he works on strength conditioning since HSers are less developed physically than mid 20's pros. Seems to be an above average on the ball defender contrary to the scout report on draftcity, but could use some more experience on who to play up on or off of (experience, similar to Pietrus's case on the defensive end). Still needs some help on team defense (experience). Doesn't seem to throw good entry passes at the big men (due to him playing mostly open court). Doesn't crossover from right to left very well. His left hand dribbling looks considerably weaker than how he uses his right. Didn't look like he tried to attack from the leftside that much. Sometimes forces shots. Doesn't play the halfcourt sets like they do in organized college ball. Overview: All in all he looked much more committed to playing individual defense and helping the team win than trying to be the one man show and the star. I guess falling to the 2nd round humbled him or he woke up for some other reason. Over-dribbling didn't seem to be much of a problem with Ellis during the SL. Could be he had the coach's directions to find inside scoring options like Diogu and Biedrins or he never had reliable big men to look for inside right away. And those two bigs can catch anything reasonable in terms of passes. Monta took a lot of shots compared to the other players, but he seemed to go with the move that worked, which was to drive on people and try to get fouled or stretch the defenses by shooting on sagging defenders. The entry passes to the big men were pretty bad so that the big men had to come off their position in the paint a lot of times. Then there weren't really any good wide open perimeter targets to hit from the outlet pass, so the shot basically had to go up to avoid the risk of turnover. That and Diogu and Biedrins sometimes got outmatched scoring in the post. Either Biedrins was too far away from the basket or he got outmuscled Diogu either was swatted by bigger players crowding him or he couldn't shake his defender or get them off balance. (Too bad we couldn't see the first game to see how he was sending players to the ground on a basket. Some reports said he didn't know when to pass out of the double team early enough, but there was nobody to get the ball to in later games. Good that he commands double team respect and still manages to score. He and Ellis can draw doubles in SL)
I agree with you Cus about Monta's left hand. He keeps the ball in his right hand a bit too much. The thing that impresses me most about Monta is his ability to attack a defense from anywhere on the court. In the two games I saw Monta would run the ball up the court get the defense on its heals and he'd stop on a dime, the defenders would turn their backs moving into defensive position and Monta would glide through the seams. It was beautiful. As he learns the system and players he will be lethal with his penetrating ability, which will create open looks for everyone else. Bring on the season.
Also agreed, CR2. I just wanted to add that Monta also as a pretty sweet floater when driving down the middle of the lane.
Hey guys..I just sorta started liking the Warriors recently....so hopefully I will be active in this Warriors forum like I have been in the Sixers forum. Uh, Monta sorta reminds me of Louis Williams.....because you know I doubt those two high schoolers will get much playing time behind Baron Davis and AI. It'll be a while before he contributes
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Montay:</div><div class="quote_post">I agree with you Cus about Monta's left hand. He keeps the ball in his right hand a bit too much. The thing that impresses me most about Monta is his ability to attack a defense from anywhere on the court. In the two games I saw Monta would run the ball up the court get the defense on its heals and he'd stop on a dime, the defenders would turn their backs moving into defensive position and Monta would glide through the seams. It was beautiful. As he learns the system and players he will be lethal with his penetrating ability, which will create open looks for everyone else. Bring on the season.</div> I agree. I can see what the initial first round hype was before the Chicago camp destroyed his draft stock. The one thing I haven't seen for myself is this guy's ability to dunk yet, but I heard he's quite the dunker. We have two point guards that can throw it down... I love it Hard to find tall, quick, and athletic that can also shoot with a soft touch on the run or from a set shot, show great body control and handle the ball well for a high schooler. Anybody think the running floaters in the lane was reminiscent of Nick Van Excel or Tony Parker?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Run BJM:</div><div class="quote_post">Also agreed, CR2. I just wanted to add that Monta also as a pretty sweet floater when driving down the middle of the lane.</div> I was thinking NVE or Tony Parker when he kept using that running floater off the drive. Or we could say Zarko, but Z looks so different hitting the running floater because of those huge steps he takes and the fact he shows people the ball just before he does it. I'm pretty excited about our new guys. Especially what our second rounders could become and the fact we have Montay in case Baron goes down. If Sebastian Telfair could play at age 19 at 5'10, I think Montay should be able to contribute some off the bench when Fisher comes in as starter. I think the reason why Assistant Coach Ellie likes Montay is because he's talented and he's adjusted his game relatively well to the halfcourt game despite not really playing that style at all in high school. He also cut the over-dribbling, showed some floor awareness, and demonstrated some pretty good pressure defense on the ballhandler despite the scouting reports on him back in May that said he was lazy on D, wasn't a team player, and he over dribbled like Steve Francis. I guess time will tell, because it's only been 3 summer league games and he's yet to face a whole season of the pros.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting iversonfan3:</div><div class="quote_post">Hey guys..I just sorta started liking the Warriors recently....so hopefully I will be active in this Warriors forum like I have been in the Sixers forum. Uh, Monta sorta reminds me of Louis Williams.....because you know I doubt those two high schoolers will get much playing time behind Baron Davis and AI. It'll be a while before he contributes</div> Awesome! Having more bandwagon fans onboard is a good sign for the W's It's all good, I like any team that Steve Nash is on so I'm like that as well.
^haha dude...I don't like the Warrior as a bandwagoner lol. How can I like them as a bandwagoner if their record wasn't even that good last year. I lilke them because they're like the Sixers...young,exciting, promising future and Jrich.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting iversonfan3:</div><div class="quote_post">^haha dude...I don't like the Warrior as a bandwagoner lol. How can I like them as a bandwagoner if their record wasn't even that good last year. I lilke them because they're like the Sixers...young,exciting, promising future and Jrich.</div> Gotcha. Well there were some bandwagon fans that started liking the W's after allstar break because they were something like 18-10 and had an even better record when Baron started at point guard rather than off the bench. The W's became a fastbreak team like the Nets of two years ago. It's all good anyway. It's nice to have some perspective from non-Warrior fans as well so keep posting. BTW Kyle Korver rocks.
Yeah, I was hoping we could sign Korver. I have loved AI since he played at Georgetown. I knew he was going to be a success in the NBA that I drafted him in my fantasy league as a rookie. I am glad people are starting to take notice of the Warriors in the NBA. I think next season is going to be a big eye opener. Just like last year when we only had like 4 national televised games scheduled but once we traded for Baron and started blowing up they added 3-4 more games late in the season. We have something like 8 this year, but I bet they will add a few more if we continue to play well and Jrich and Baron make the all star team together...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Warriorfansnc93:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah, I was hoping we could sign Korver. I have loved AI since he played at Georgetown. I knew he was going to be a success in the NBA that I drafted him in my fantasy league as a rookie. I am glad people are starting to take notice of the Warriors in the NBA. I think next season is going to be a big eye opener. Just like last year when we only had like 4 national televised games scheduled but once we traded for Baron and started blowing up they added 3-4 more games late in the season. We have something like 8 this year, but I bet they will add a few more if we continue to play well and Jrich and Baron make the all star team together...</div> Speaking of fantasy leagues, hopefully we can start a new league this year with more players and maybe a limitation on number of moves made. I totally abused that "unlimited player moves" thing and basically waived and re-signed some guys repeatedly for weeks so I'd have a new guy playing each day when I had a short amount of guys playing per week compared to the other guy in head-to-head matchups. No salary cap and no roster carry over from season to season. So I play like I don't give a damn! And I won!
Didn't know what thread to put this in, but I hope Montay Ellis' family is okay with the hurricane and all. He's from Jackson, Mississippi, I think.
