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You got a chance to play with Steph, yeah? How was that experience? Did you see that he would become the guy who he is today? Monta Ellis: No, I didn’t. But I knew he worked hard though. He definitely would pay attention to the things I was doing; he paid a whole lot of attention to it and he put that into his game. Now, when he came around, it was just — it was messy. He just came into a messy situation, messy environment. You had teammates that were talking stuff to the owners about what the players were doing at the time, this and that. So, he came in — it was messy. But did I know he was going to be that? Nah. But he did work hard though. So now, seeing it? Not surprised. Not surprised. Because of the work. Once you learn — even with him, though — he came in small. Once he figured out how to be able to get strong and take physicality, that’s when his career changed.
You mentioned the moped incident (that happened in 2008). It was reported then that you had lied to the organization and that you injured yourself playing basketball. Why did you feel the need to lie about it? Monta Ellis: I was a young kid, I had just signed the biggest deal of my life. So that was my biggest thing was to be like, ‘Man, I got to try to make it something basketball-related.’ So, I panicked. I said what I said. But then after I did that, I came back and I told them exactly what happened. I admitted it. I said ‘I’ll give you 2.5 (million dollars) back from the contract that I just signed.’ And so they suspended me for 57 games that they already knew I was going to miss anyway just so they could get another $500,000 so it could be $3 million versus ($2.5 million). And so that’s when our relationship turned. (Note: Ellis was suspended by the Warriors for 30 games, but missed 57 in total with his ankle injury.)
Monta Ellis: So I’m in the hotel thinking, “Damn, I don’t know what’s going to happen.” We get on the phone. They were like, “We ain’t trading you.” We were like two games out of the 8th seed, I think. I don’t know how many games we had — like 20-something or whatever. And they were like, “We’re just going to ride it out.” So I’m like, “Cool, we’re jelling right now, so I ain’t even tripping.” I was like, “I ain’t going nowhere.” I was like, “Cool, I didn’t want to go nowhere anyway. I ain’t going nowhere.” But, man, from the time I got off that phone call, hung up with them, went down to the bus to ride to the arena, bro — they had already traded me. So the crazy thing is they didn’t tell me. Hold on now, hold on, bro. They didn’t tell me nor my agent. Man, I get in, and what’s his name — Dominic McGuire — he said, “Bro, they just traded you.” I said, “No, bro, they ain’t trade me.” He said, “Bro, it just came on ESPN.”
Monta Ellis: That’s how I got traded at Golden State. I’m glad — that messed me up, though. I gave that city everything, even through the bullcrap, even with my leg and all that — for me to be able to put my body through the things I put my body through to get myself back right. And for that owner to come in and do it like that — that was weak. Yeah, straight up. Hell yeah. I was soft about that for a while. And it wasn’t until I got to Dallas that I really got back to playing basketball.
Monta Ellis when Warriors traded him: Similar to what happened to Luka Doncic
Monta Ellis: They taking the biggest risk of their life. Now I'm expendable because it ain't a bigger contract. Like they can write that off on their taxes, but like they took a chance on me and so I love Golden State, you know what I mean? They gave me my opportunity. The way it went down is what really hurt me or affected me. And it's similar to what happened to Luka Doncic. That's what that part of the business that you really don't know nothing about unless you really be a part of it or if you just had somebody that was close to you that has been done to. But I had my good days and I had my bad days. But I had more good days than I had bad days. And I'm always going to give them their flowers, their respect, and everything they have done for me and my family. So now, Golden State will always going to be in my heart.
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Ethan Strauss: People understood that trade at the time. They understood it even more so after the success. But even at the time—it's nothing like this. It is not even close to this. This is like a category of its own—unprecedented in sports history. And I don't think any sort of slick rhetorical trick from anybody—even somebody as adroit politically as Rick Welts—is going to change how anybody views this thing. Andrew Bogut: Well, maybe if it was Steph Curry in that trade, which was offered—a lot of people don't know. Ethan Strauss: Oh yeah, you like that one. Andrew Bogut: The Bucks had the either-or. And I can confirm that 100% because—long story short—I was doing my rehab with some people in Milwaukee that were with the team. They had both the medical records. They passed pending the ankle and wanted Monta. That would have changed the course of history.
Andrew Bogut says Warriors almost traded Stephen Curry for him: 'They'll deny it, but I know it for a fact'
Didn't you see the files? Didn't you see the folder? Andrew Bogut: I saw both the folders. I was getting treatment, and I was basically told, because after it happened, I was— I'm not going to say who it was—but I was really close to someone that I was doing treatment with there for my ankle. I was already out for the season, doing rehab every day. They were like, "Yeah, it was either Monta or Steph, and we—the team—decided to go with Monta based on health." So I was like, "Alright..." But then you look at hindsight: the Warriors made this genius move and freed up for Steph Curry, and the whole narrative that followed. It could have easily gone the other way. It's a sliding door moment. They'll deny it, but I know it for a fact.
Andrew Bogut: It was with some people who did all the medical advisory stuff before free agency or trades—you know, whenever you bring in a guy. It was that team of people. They were open about it with me. I had a good relationship with them, so they just blatantly told me: "The other option was Steph and his bad ankle. We decided to go with Monta." So I was like, "Alright."
Andrew Bogut: But yeah, it's just funny when you hear the narrative six, seven years later—you know, they're the lucky bounces you need for success. Like, this was all a genius move, we factored this in to free up [cap space], and you're like—yes, that's how it worked out. But that wasn't your initial plan. Your initial plan happened because of a bad ankle on Steph Curry that the Milwaukee Bucks were worried about at the time.
Ethan Strauss: It's just crazy to me that they would have even kept Monta long-term. Because when I was around the situation, Monta was—he was a dick. He was checked out. I remember just watching him—he would come into games with a turkey sandwich and his headphones on, not really communicate with anybody, just in his own world. And I remember David Lee—I liked David Lee—but there was an aspect of David where he was sort of, I don't want to say fake, but he would put on a performance of sorts. I think Andrew knows what I'm talking about.
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Mavericks compared Luka Doncic trade to when Warriors traded Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut
Mavs Film Room: . @tim_cato said on @DLLS_Mavs that Mavs CEO Rick Welts compared the Luka Doncic trade to the his former team Warriors trading Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut in 2012.
Malik Monk cites Monta Ellis as his biggest inspiration as a kid
During an interview with NBC Sports California's Morgan Ragan on "Kings Central," Malik Monk revealed who inspired his love for basketball. "A few people, my brother, for one. I still look up to him today," Monk told Ragan. "Then Monta Ellis, I like Monta Ellis a lot. Baron Davis. He's just like a shifty guard that has bounce. [Russell] Westbrook for sure. But when I was six, seven, eight, it was Monta Ellis for sure. How exciting he is. I think I do some of the same things. he can dribble, shoot, [he's] fearless."
Monte Poole: Last time Warriors SG Klay Thompson was healthy and available and not in the starting lineup: March 11, 2012 Almost 12 years ago Monta Ellis was traded 2 days later to make room for Klay
Anthony Slater: That's eight straight 20+ point games from Jonathan Kuminga. Note from the Warriors: Kuminga's 25 straight games in double figures is the franchise's longest streak from a player 22 years old or younger since Monta Ellis in 2008.
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