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Dallas Mavericks: 25 Best Players To Play For The Mavericks

By Phil Watson

Apr 21, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; A general view of the arena before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 21, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; A general view of the arena before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 28, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Monta Ellis (11) drives to the basket during the fourth quarter as Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza (1) defends in game five of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. The Rockets defeated the Mavericks 103-94 to win the series 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Monta Ellis (11) drives to the basket during the fourth quarter as Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza (1) defends in game five of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. The Rockets defeated the Mavericks 103-94 to win the series 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

79. <strong>How acquired: </strong>Free agent, July 23, 2013.. PG-SG. 2013-15. Monta Ellis. 20. player

Monta Ellis was a long way removed from his days as the NBA’s Most Improved Player when he signed with the Dallas Mavericks as a free agent in July 2013.

Coming off the worst shooting season of his career, Ellis fit nicely with the Mavericks, helping them back to the postseason after a one-season absence.

DAL_20_ELLIS
DAL_20_ELLIS /

But after just two seasons, the Mississippi Bullet was gone, signing a free-agent deal with the

Indiana Pacers

in July 2015.

In his two seasons with Dallas, Ellis averaged 19.0 points, 4.9 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 35.3 minutes per game, shooting .448/.304/.774.

Drafted by the Golden State Warriors out of Lanier (Miss.) High School in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft, Ellis was the NBA’s Most Improved Player with the Warriors in 2006-07.

He helped lead Golden State to a historic first-round upset of a 67-win Mavericks team in the first round of the playoffs that spring.

Ellis also led the NBA in minutes per game in 2009-10 and 2010-11 with the Warriors, finishing second in steals in 2009-10 and third in 2010-11.

In March 2012, Ellis was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he was fourth in the NBA in steals in 2012-13, before coming to Dallas as a free agent.

In 2015-16 with the Pacers, Ellis started all 81 games in which he appeared and averaged 13.8 points, 4.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 33.8 minutes per game on .427/.309/.786 shooting. He is signed through 2017-18 with a player option for 2018-19.

Ellis is 36th in NBA history with an average of 1.8 steals per game.

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