Report: Hawks interested in Monta Ellis

By foxsports
Published

Could the Atlanta Hawks make a surprise move in free agency this offseason?

The Hawks have free agency concerns of their own, with Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll both unrestricted free agents who will draw lots of interest around the league. But ESPN's Tim MacMahon reports that Atlanta could be "in the mix" for Dallas Mavericks free agent guard Monta Ellis.

Ellis would seem to be somewhat of an odd fit given the Hawks' current roster. Atlanta could go super-small if it loses Carroll, playing Kyle Korver at small forward and Ellis at shooting guard, but that seems unlikely given coach Mike Budenholzer's defensive preferences. And Ellis will likely command too high a salary to justify bringing him off the bench, unless Budenholzer is planning on limiting the minutes of Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder to keep them rested for the postseason.

Another option is a trade of either Teague or Schroder. And, finally, this very well could be the Hawks simply doing their homework on all the free agents out there. Whatever it is, you can expect Atlanta to be busy this summer.

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