By: Sherwood Strauss
‘Somebody other than Monta has to do something!!!’
I’ve heard Fitz screech this about as often as I’ve heard him complain, ‘It’s just one of those quarters for the Warriors!’ Oh Fitzy, your at times homer laments are what get me through these tough Tolliver times. He’s not totally wrong (just watched Monta drop 46 in a losing effort), but the passion in this refrain strikes an odd chord. The whole Monta Ellis anointment process seems to spring from some kind of alien culture I can’t relate to.
People are sick of talking about the mo-ped incident, but we need to acknowledge its upshot: Ellis can’t be a part of the future. Can’t. Just can’t.
It’s not because his conduct betrayed the fans. I’ve honestly never heard a more ridiculous trope. He’s an athlete, not a politician. Are we really angry at this guy (I say ‘at,’ not ‘with,’ because fan anger is a one way street) for lying to Club Cohan? Please.
Ellis can ‘put it behind him,’ but the three million dollar fine made chasms irreconcilable. The degree difference between a 25K wrist slap and a three million buck repo is so vast that it’s a difference in kind. And a different kind of penalty prompts a different kind of result Monta will never get over this. Never, ever, ever. I’m not trying to do that sportswriter cliché of reading an athlete’s mind and I’m not trying to imitate Kawakami. Teams just don’t fine stars that much. It doesn’t work that way in the NBA, and you have to believe such an action leaves a wound that only Larry Ellison can heal.
Instead of voiding the whole contract (difficult to do with the players union and all), giving him a wrist slap penalty, or supporting Ellis through the process, the W’s did just enough to permanently poison the locker room drinking fountain. Three million sends an earsplitting ‘you aren’t our guy anymore’ message. Which is fine…if he’s no longer your guy.
Fans get into that ‘he deserved it,’ meme, but it’s not even germane to the discussion. Who cares if Monta deserved the fine, or that it teaches him some grand Bobby Rowell lesson? The team isn’t raising a child; they’re trying to win games (supposedly). When Vlad Rad snowboarded his way out of 500K, he deserved it. If Pau had slipped down the slope, the Lakers would have spent 500K getting Gasol a second, third and fourth medical trainer. Maybe they would have had an extra grand for a better beard trimmer, and maybe they wouldn’t have. But you get my point.
If the Warriors felt Ellis would return to form, what were they trying to accomplish with this action? Were they trying to curb Monta’s cyclism? And does Monta’s transgression even matter when every Warriors player goes down with an ankle injury like they’re all on a staggered vacation schedule? But I hella digress.
Teams take care of their stars, unless the star is no longer wanted (see: Gilbert Arenas). If the Warriors didn’t want Ellis, it would have made sense to gash him like that. Maybe they don’t want him. Maybe they were trying to hedge on the ankle and screwed up. Damn, it’s spilled milk—I’m digressing toward depressing again. I just can’t shake the past. It’s in every scowl, glare, and lapsed rotation.
There’s just something strange in how they douse him in praise these days. That constant CSN Ellis blather is enough to make you think he’s a jump-shooting unicorn. It’s like watching someone brag about a spouse while you spy divorce papers on the coffee table.
And I do like his game. Few experiences are more thrilling than seeing Monta burn a D for a finger roll. I love when he has it going and the crowd anticipation builds as Ellis bounces to the rhythm of his dribble (How easy will he make it look this time?). This has not been an efficient year for No.8, but I could see greener pastures on the horizon. Specifically, I could see him in Celtic green, wreaking holy hell alongside Rajon Rondo. Sigh.
So, on a night where I watched Monta Ellis set a career high, I couldn’t shake the negativity. I hate dredging up the past, but its shadow has rendered pure Monta enjoyment impossible. For me, anyway. I hope you guys are doing better.
The Warrior organization is in transition. The organization restructured the “we believe” roster. The organization was not willing to compete in the ultra competitive western conference. The trading deadline is quickly coming; however, I believe Monta will be with the organization for years to come. Monta and Curry creates the nastiest back court in the league. Gaining a healthy inside presence (wish Randolph and Wright were healthy) would greatly affect the team. The addition of a Chris Bosh in the off season would greatly bolster the organizations ability to make a playoff run.
It hasn’t rendered Monta enjoyment impossible for me.