NBA free agency 2013: Monta Ellis agrees to 3-year deal with Mavericks

In a little more than one season with the Bucks, Ellis saw his efficiency numbers plummet from previous years. Last season, Ellis shot just 41.6 percent from the field, a shade higher than his career-low of 41.5 percent during his rookie season. Ellis’ three-point shooting was also woeful in Milwaukee, with the guard making just 28.7 percent of his attempts last season despite taking four per game.

Ellis left $11 million on the table for next season in Milwaukee and opted to test the market instead. While the three-year, $25 million contract he received may not have been as much as he hoped, Ellis thinks the situation in Dallas will be good for him because he won’t have as much scoring responsibility:

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Sacramento took on Mbah a Moute’s two years and $9 million left on his contract while shedding two future second-round picks and no immediate salary in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks. Suddenly, the Kings’ salary cap space is unable to include the approximate $12 million Ellis could earn per season.

But like the Kings, the other two of Ellis’ suitors are looking at options to land the free agent via a sign-and-trade.

The Cavs may not want to take on Hayes, as he’s owed over $11 million the next two seasons and would cut out cap space in the summer of 2014. Fredette may be a more palatable option because he is essentially just a $2.4 million expiring contract.

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While Ellis can score, he has had some issues with efficiency over the past few seasons. Ellis shot just 41.6 percent from the floor last year, and he hasn’t shot better than 43.3 percent in any of the last three seasons. His long-distance shooting has been especially poor, with Ellis making just 28.7 percent of this threes on 4.0 attempts per game in 2012-13.

Ellis opted out of an $11 million contract with the Bucks for next year in hopes of gaining some more long-term security. If Kennedy’s report about a new deal being about $10 million per year is true, it appears that Ellis made the right decision.

Ellis in New York is quite the long shot, as the Knicks only have the taxpayer mid-level exception of $3.18 million to offer free agents from other teams. Ellis just opted out of an $11 million deal with the Bucks, so it’s difficult to imagine him taking that much of a discount just to play for a contender.

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The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported a week ago that the Bucks offered Ellis a two-year extension to his contract through 2015-16 if he picked up the player option. Over the course of the three years, it would have paid $36 million.

Ellis led Milwaukee by averaging 19.2 points, 6.0 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game in 2012-13.

Milwaukee has been busy working out point guard prospects like Shane Larkin and Dennis Schröder in preparation for the 2013 NBA Draft on June 30, and at least they will know where things stand with Ellis before the draft arrives. As for where the Bucks are actually going, it’s anyone’s guess at this point.

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Ellis has three weeks to officially exercise that early termination option, and at this point, all signs suggest he is ready to do so and become a free agent.

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Jennings is a restricted free agent while Ellis could decline his final-year option on his contract, but the Bucks can only keep one of the two players, who could each be asking for too-hefty of deals. Should Ellis decline the $11 million option for a final year on his contract, he would be an unrestricted free agent.

Neither Jennings nor Ellis particularly well in the playoffs this season. Ellis scored 14.3 points per game in the sweep at the hands of Miami, and Jennings scored 13.3 points per game while shooting 29.8 percent from the floor.