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By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
The Golden State Warriors won't have Baron Davis or Monta Ellis in their starting lineup on opening night.
In the latest blow during a difficult summer for Golden State, Ellis -- just awarded one of the biggest pay raises in league history -- will be sidelined at least three months, possibly four, after suffering a severe high ankle sprain in his hometown of Jackson, Miss.
The 20-50 Club
Monta Ellis, who doesn't turn 23 until October, is part of an elite group of guards 22 and younger who averaged 20 ppg and 50 percent shooting in a season. How he stacks up:
Player Season Age
Monta Ellis, Warriors 2007-08 22
Kevin Johnson, Suns 1988-89 22
Michael Jordan, Bulls 1984-85 21
Magic Johnson, Lakers 1980-81 21
David Thompson, Nuggets 1976-77 22
Ellis underwent surgery Wednesday in Birmingham, Ala., to repair a torn deltoid ligament in his left ankle, after he informed the club late last week that he had injured himself working out. More specifics about how Ellis sustained the injury were not immediately available.
The team confirmed the injury Wednesday afternoon. Ellis and returned to the Bay Area later in the day.
Ellis' ankle will be immobilized for six weeks, followed by at least six weeks of off-court rehab before the guard can return to basketball workouts.
Ellis will miss training camp and the Warriors' preseason schedule, which includes a trip to China, along with at least the first month of the regular season.
"He's one of our main guys, but we don't think it's a season-ending injury," said Chris Mullin, the Warriors' executive vice president of basketball operations. "The time frame, it fluctuates, but hopefully with his youth -- and he's been pretty durable and resilient to injury -- hopefully he does get back [soon].
"With the offseason moves we made, hopefully we can still play at a high level this year. To me, it's more something that you look at as a challenge, and you don't let it defeat you, you deal with it."
Ellis was unavailable for comment Wednesday, and his agent, Jeff Fried, could not immediately be reached.
It was less than a month ago that Ellis received a six-year, $66 million contract extension from the Warriors, whose tumultuous offseason began with Davis making a verbal commitment to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers on the very first day of free agency.
The contract calls for Ellis to earn a flat $11 million in each of the next six seasons. He made just $770,610 last season, the final year in a modest three-year deal he received as a second-round pick in 2005.
Mullin wasn't certain whether Ellis hurt himself in a 5-on-5 scrimmage or a smaller pickup game. Although Mullin still is the same inveterate gym rat he was during his All-Star playing career, he shares most NBA executives' wariness about their players' offseason health in such risky workouts.
"I'm all for guys training and getting better," Mullin said. "Ideally, I'd like everybody here [in Oakland] all the time, but that's not realistic. I think one thing Monta has done each and every year is improve, and I do believe most improvement is made during the summer. That's when guys do get better, so I can't debate that."
Golden State, which failed to reach the playoffs last season, insisted that it achieved its top two offseason priorities by re-signing Ellis and fellow restricted free agent Andris Biedrins.
The Warriors were nonetheless stunned by the sudden nature of Davis' departure -- as Davis initially was expected not to opt out of the final year of his contract -- and now have likely lost the prolific guard expected to inherit much of Davis' scoring responsibilities until December at the earliest.
The Warriors responded to Davis' exit by signing swingman Corey Maggette away from the Clippers to join co-captain Stephen Jackson, and by signing Los Angeles Lakers restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf to add bulk on their front line.
They also matched the Clippers' offer sheet to retain restricted free agent Kelenna Azubuike and acquired backup point guard Marcus Williams in a trade with New Jersey. The Warriors are likewise extremely high on first-round draft pick Anthony Randolph, and thus did little to prevent forwards Mickael Pietrus (Orlando) and Matt Barnes (Phoenix) from following Davis out the door.
It remains possible that the Warriors could trade forward Al Harrington before the start of the season, with Harrington reportedly open to a move. Yet there's really no replicating what Ellis provides for the Warriors, especially given coach Don Nelson's plans to use Ellis regularly at point guard after playing him primarily as a shooting guard in Ellis' first three pro seasons.
Ellis, 22, seemed to understand his importance to the team's post-Baron future when Ellis shared at a news conference in late July that Davis recently "told me it was time to hand over the torch."
Ellis averaged 20.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists last season. He won NBA Most Improved Player honors in the 2006-07 season, averaging 16.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
The only solace for the Warriors is that Ellis does have a history of making strong, fast recoveries from major injuries. He slipped to No. 40 in the 2005 draft, in spite of a decorated high school career, because of a knee problem.
But he has since proven more productive in the NBA than any of the 10 players drafted out of high school that year, which was the last time high school players were eligible to be selected. That group includes No. 6 overall pick Martell Webster (Portland); No. 10 Andrew Bynum (Los Angeles Lakers); and No. 18 Gerald Green (drafted by Boston, now with Dallas).
Ellis suffered what initially appeared to be a serious knee injury during a summer-league practice in 2006, and endured an even scarier fall early in training camp last October that resulted in a neck sprain and required Ellis to be immobilized and carted off the court.
In both cases, though, Ellis missed minimal time. He appeared in 77 and 81 games, respectively, after the two injuries.
Ellis is also known for his boundless confidence, as evidenced when he scoffed at reporters' recent suggestions that the switch from shooting guard to the point will be a problem.
"I'm going to improve every part of my game," Ellis said last month. "That's what I do. That's why I play basketball ... to improve and to become the best player [who] ever touched a basketball."
In Ellis' absence, Williams is likely to get the first chance to run Nelson's show -- although Mullin also will travel to Chicago on Thursday to take a look at former Clippers guard Shaun Livingston, the unrestricted free agent who hasn't played since injuring his left knee in a game on Feb. 26, 2007.
Golden State acquired Williams in a trade with New Jersey last month to be Ellis' backup. Williams, the former UConn star entering his third NBA campaign, averaged 5.9 points and 2.6 assists in 53 games with the Nets last season.
"Just in talking to Nellie today, [we're] talking about maybe spreading that ball around and getting scoring from different areas," Mullin said, mentioning more shots for Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington and Maggette. "Marcus is more of a pass-first point guard. If at some point he thought he didn't get a chance [in New Jersey], he's going to get a chance now."
Guard Kelenna Azubuike also is likely to get more playing time with the Warriors.
ESPN.com
The Golden State Warriors won't have Baron Davis or Monta Ellis in their starting lineup on opening night.
In the latest blow during a difficult summer for Golden State, Ellis -- just awarded one of the biggest pay raises in league history -- will be sidelined at least three months, possibly four, after suffering a severe high ankle sprain in his hometown of Jackson, Miss.
The 20-50 Club
Monta Ellis, who doesn't turn 23 until October, is part of an elite group of guards 22 and younger who averaged 20 ppg and 50 percent shooting in a season. How he stacks up:
Player Season Age
Monta Ellis, Warriors 2007-08 22
Kevin Johnson, Suns 1988-89 22
Michael Jordan, Bulls 1984-85 21
Magic Johnson, Lakers 1980-81 21
David Thompson, Nuggets 1976-77 22
Ellis underwent surgery Wednesday in Birmingham, Ala., to repair a torn deltoid ligament in his left ankle, after he informed the club late last week that he had injured himself working out. More specifics about how Ellis sustained the injury were not immediately available.
The team confirmed the injury Wednesday afternoon. Ellis and returned to the Bay Area later in the day.
Ellis' ankle will be immobilized for six weeks, followed by at least six weeks of off-court rehab before the guard can return to basketball workouts.
Ellis will miss training camp and the Warriors' preseason schedule, which includes a trip to China, along with at least the first month of the regular season.
"He's one of our main guys, but we don't think it's a season-ending injury," said Chris Mullin, the Warriors' executive vice president of basketball operations. "The time frame, it fluctuates, but hopefully with his youth -- and he's been pretty durable and resilient to injury -- hopefully he does get back [soon].
"With the offseason moves we made, hopefully we can still play at a high level this year. To me, it's more something that you look at as a challenge, and you don't let it defeat you, you deal with it."
Ellis was unavailable for comment Wednesday, and his agent, Jeff Fried, could not immediately be reached.
It was less than a month ago that Ellis received a six-year, $66 million contract extension from the Warriors, whose tumultuous offseason began with Davis making a verbal commitment to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers on the very first day of free agency.
The contract calls for Ellis to earn a flat $11 million in each of the next six seasons. He made just $770,610 last season, the final year in a modest three-year deal he received as a second-round pick in 2005.
Mullin wasn't certain whether Ellis hurt himself in a 5-on-5 scrimmage or a smaller pickup game. Although Mullin still is the same inveterate gym rat he was during his All-Star playing career, he shares most NBA executives' wariness about their players' offseason health in such risky workouts.
"I'm all for guys training and getting better," Mullin said. "Ideally, I'd like everybody here [in Oakland] all the time, but that's not realistic. I think one thing Monta has done each and every year is improve, and I do believe most improvement is made during the summer. That's when guys do get better, so I can't debate that."
Golden State, which failed to reach the playoffs last season, insisted that it achieved its top two offseason priorities by re-signing Ellis and fellow restricted free agent Andris Biedrins.
The Warriors were nonetheless stunned by the sudden nature of Davis' departure -- as Davis initially was expected not to opt out of the final year of his contract -- and now have likely lost the prolific guard expected to inherit much of Davis' scoring responsibilities until December at the earliest.
The Warriors responded to Davis' exit by signing swingman Corey Maggette away from the Clippers to join co-captain Stephen Jackson, and by signing Los Angeles Lakers restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf to add bulk on their front line.
They also matched the Clippers' offer sheet to retain restricted free agent Kelenna Azubuike and acquired backup point guard Marcus Williams in a trade with New Jersey. The Warriors are likewise extremely high on first-round draft pick Anthony Randolph, and thus did little to prevent forwards Mickael Pietrus (Orlando) and Matt Barnes (Phoenix) from following Davis out the door.
It remains possible that the Warriors could trade forward Al Harrington before the start of the season, with Harrington reportedly open to a move. Yet there's really no replicating what Ellis provides for the Warriors, especially given coach Don Nelson's plans to use Ellis regularly at point guard after playing him primarily as a shooting guard in Ellis' first three pro seasons.
Ellis, 22, seemed to understand his importance to the team's post-Baron future when Ellis shared at a news conference in late July that Davis recently "told me it was time to hand over the torch."
Ellis averaged 20.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists last season. He won NBA Most Improved Player honors in the 2006-07 season, averaging 16.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
The only solace for the Warriors is that Ellis does have a history of making strong, fast recoveries from major injuries. He slipped to No. 40 in the 2005 draft, in spite of a decorated high school career, because of a knee problem.
But he has since proven more productive in the NBA than any of the 10 players drafted out of high school that year, which was the last time high school players were eligible to be selected. That group includes No. 6 overall pick Martell Webster (Portland); No. 10 Andrew Bynum (Los Angeles Lakers); and No. 18 Gerald Green (drafted by Boston, now with Dallas).
Ellis suffered what initially appeared to be a serious knee injury during a summer-league practice in 2006, and endured an even scarier fall early in training camp last October that resulted in a neck sprain and required Ellis to be immobilized and carted off the court.
In both cases, though, Ellis missed minimal time. He appeared in 77 and 81 games, respectively, after the two injuries.
Ellis is also known for his boundless confidence, as evidenced when he scoffed at reporters' recent suggestions that the switch from shooting guard to the point will be a problem.
"I'm going to improve every part of my game," Ellis said last month. "That's what I do. That's why I play basketball ... to improve and to become the best player [who] ever touched a basketball."
In Ellis' absence, Williams is likely to get the first chance to run Nelson's show -- although Mullin also will travel to Chicago on Thursday to take a look at former Clippers guard Shaun Livingston, the unrestricted free agent who hasn't played since injuring his left knee in a game on Feb. 26, 2007.
Golden State acquired Williams in a trade with New Jersey last month to be Ellis' backup. Williams, the former UConn star entering his third NBA campaign, averaged 5.9 points and 2.6 assists in 53 games with the Nets last season.
"Just in talking to Nellie today, [we're] talking about maybe spreading that ball around and getting scoring from different areas," Mullin said, mentioning more shots for Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington and Maggette. "Marcus is more of a pass-first point guard. If at some point he thought he didn't get a chance [in New Jersey], he's going to get a chance now."
Guard Kelenna Azubuike also is likely to get more playing time with the Warriors.
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