The Dallas Mavericks have officially signed shooting guard Monta Ellis on Tuesday to a three-year contract deal worth between $25 million and $30 million.
While starting all 82 games for the Milwaukee Bucks last season Ellis started averaged 19.2 points, six assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 37.5 minutes per contest. The 6-3, 185-pound eight-year veteran has career averages of 19.4 points, 4.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 36 minutes in 516 games.
The deal came into existence after x-ray's discovered that guard Devin Harris had a dislocated toe in his left foot. In addition, first-round pick Shane Larkin suffered a broken ankle during Friday's summer league practice, and is now expected to be sidelined for at least three months.
Ellis, who has averaged at least 19 points in each of the past six years, is expected to start in the Mavs' backcourt next season alongside another newcomer, Jose Calderon.
The Mavericks focus now shifts to free agent center Greg Oden.
It was expected that they'd end their pursuit after landing Samuel Dalembert last week, but they've continued to try to press their luck for Oden. The Mavs have pitched Dallas -- under the auspices of longtime Team USA trainer Casey Smith -- as the ideal launching pad for his comeback.
Oden was the top overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft out of Ohio State and has battled numerous knee injuries and hasn't played in the NBA since Dec. 5, 2009. He is coming off his third microfracture knee surgery in February 2012.
Oden has averaged 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 82 career games and has been working out in both Columbus and Indianapolis this past offseason.
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