The Atlanta Hawks are discussing a deal with Milwaukee Bucks free agent Monta Ellis, according to Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD. Kennedy reports that a possible deal would be about $10 million per year, but negotiations are still underway and a deal is not imminent.
The Hawks need some scoring punch in their lineup after losing Josh Smith to the Detroit Pistons in free agency. Ellis would provide that, as he averaged 19.2 points for the Bucks last year and is scoring 19.4 points per game over the course of his career.
While Ellis can score, he has had some issues with efficiency over the past few seasons. Ellis shot just 41.6 percent from the floor last year, and he hasn't shot better than 43.3 percent in any of the last three seasons. His long-distance shooting has been especially poor, with Ellis making just 28.7 percent of this threes on 4.0 attempts per game in 2012-13.
Ellis opted out of an $11 million contract with the Bucks for next year in hopes of gaining some more long-term security. If Kennedy's report about a new deal being about $10 million per year is true, it appears that Ellis made the right decision.
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