Monta Ellis A Perfect Fit With the Boston Celtics

With free agency looming around the corner the Boston Celtics will certainly be in the market for another scorer. The Celtics found a gem in Isaiah Thomas and they have established great depth at the guard position.

Unfortunately, Thomas is the only pure scorer in the Celtics’ back court and they need a go to scorer to compliment the great defense of Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart.

Mar 4, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) and guard Avery Bradley (0) celebrate against the Utah Jazz during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

One player the Celtics should target in free agency this off season is Monta Ellis. Ellis found himself in a nightmare of a situation when the Dallas Maverics acquired Rajon Rondo as he was forced to take a step back for the sake of a player that was much less effective.

Now that Rondo is out of the picture again Ellis is flourishing in the playoffs. While Ellis remains arguably the best scoring option for the Maverics the team appears reluctant to run the offense strictly through him. If the Maverics were content with running things through Ellis they would never have traded for Rondo.

With Rondo out of the picture Ellis will have increased responsibility in Dallas but they still cannot offer the kind of control that the Celtics would.

The Celtics would not only embrace Ellis but Ellis would also embrace Boston. The Celtics have often decided to run their offense through this season’s starting shooting guard Evan Turner. Turner had flashes of solid play but he did nothing to secure his starting position.

Apr 14, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Evan Turner (11) reacts to a call as they take on the Toronto Raptors in the second half at TD Garden. The Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors 95-93. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

If Ellis were to come in and take over the role of Evan Turner he would have an opportunity to flourish in one of the most dynamic offensive systems in the NBA. Ellis’ ability to score is miles ahead of Turner’s.

Ellis averaged 18.9 points per game this season and that would have been good enough to be tops on the Boston Celtics. Ellis’ shooting percentages are actually quite similar to Evan Turners as they both shoot around 44% and are under 30% from three point range.

The difference is that Ellis is a much better volume scorer. Turner struggles even with limited opportunities while Ellis is able to sustain his success while being a prominent scorer in his offense.

If Ellis were to come to Boston there is no doubt that he would be handed the keys to the offense. If Brad Stevens was able to get decent play from Turner, just imagine what he could do with someone at the caliber of Monta Ellis.

Mar 30, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens looks on during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Celtics defeated the Hornets 116-104. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Ellis has also demonstrated that he is more than willing to buy into an offensive system. Ellis took a step back when Rondo was brought into Dallas and if he is willing to make that sacrifice there is no doubt that he will be willing to fully but into Stevens’ offense that involves a great deal of ball movement.

The Celtics would be able to trust Ellis more than anyone else on their roster and he would provide a tremendous scoring bonus. Offense is the area that the Celtics were best at this season but with limited talent on offense they often fell into slumps. Ellis would be the man that could manufacture points during those scoring slumps.

Arguably the most attractive aspect of the Celtics to Ellis would be the money they can offer. The Celtics have enough cap room to offer Ellis more than he could get with any other team.

Ellis would not turn the Celtics into automatic contenders but he could fit very well into Stevens’ system which will allow him and the offense to flourish to their full potential.

Apr 26, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Monta Ellis (11) argues a call with the referees during the second half against the Houston Rockets in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs. at American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Rockets 121-109. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Another thing that can draw Ellis to the Celtics is the lore of the franchise. It is a special privilege to be a part of the Celtics franchise and Ellis could be handed the keys to the most storied franchise in the NBA. There is no doubting that the Celtics are an attractive option for Ellis as being successful in Boston will mean more than being successful anywhere else in the league.

The Celtics and Stevens in particular will be the best option for Ellis in free agency and Ellis may be the best scoring option for the Celtics to target in free agency.

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