A "member of the proposed ownership group trying to keep the Kings in Sacramento has done some background checking on (Monta) Ellis," sources told CBS Sports.
We'll take this report with a major grain of salt considering the way it's phrased, but the report notes that Ellis could be an alternative to Tyreke Evans, who is set to be a restricted free agent during the offseason. Sacramento has not decided to part ways with Evans, and to replace Evans with Ellis doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Ellis is "weighing his options" and hasn't decided if he'll opt out of the final year of his deal with the Bucks.

Monta Ellis must decide whether to exercise his $11-million player option by June 20.
Ellis has been non-committal when asked whether he'll exercise the option. If he chooses to become a free agent, chances are Ellis could land himself a pretty nice long-term deal, but he might have some trouble reaching the $11 million annual value. Stay tuned.

Monta Ellis was non-committal regarding his player option for next season.
Ellis has an option for $11 million and could return to the Bucks, but he said he's got a decision to make following this season and doesn't appear to be a in rush to do so. Ellis could opt out and fetch a multi-year deal, but he might have a few problems finding a multi-year deal at an average annual value of $11 million. If he does become a free agent, he'll have no shortage of interested teams.

Monta Ellis was the only member of Milwaukee's starting five to shoot over 33 percent from the field, making 10-of-20 from the field for 21 points with five boards, eight assists, one steal and one 3-pointer during a season-ending 88-77 loss to Miami on Sunday.
Milwaukee was terrible on offense and shot 37.0 percent as a team. They really had no shot to hang around against the Heat, but losing every game by at least 11 points is going to leave a bitter taste in their mouths this offseason. Ellis is going to opt out of his contract and his roller-coaster ways could act as a deterrent for teams looking to bring him on board. Larry Sanders played well in the series and on Sunday he scored seven points with 11 boards, two assists and three blocks in 31 minutes.

Monta Ellis shot 2-of-9 from the field for seven points with six assists, three steals and one 3-pointer in 40 minutes during a Game 3 loss to the Heat.
Brandon Jennings wasn't much better in the loss, shooting 5-of-15 from the field for 16 points, but he did fill the stat sheet with five boards, eight assists, five steals and one 3-pointer. The Bucks turned the ball over 20 times, which was well above their season average of 13.7 per game. Larry Sanders continued to have a solid postseason with 16 points, 11 boards, two steals and one block in 35 minutes.

Monta Ellis hit 10-of-19 shots and a 3-pointer for 22 points, four rebounds, three assists and four steals in Sunday's Game 1 loss to the Heat.
Ellis and Brandon Jennings are going to have to catch fire if the Bucks are going to be able to hang with the Heat, but they never had much of a chance in Game 1, which ended with a final score of 110-87. Ellis, a 77 percent free throw shooter, hit just 1-of-6 of them tonight, which was the same line he hit from downtown, as well.

Monta Ellis started for the Bucks on Wednesday, but played just 11 minutes before leaving with two points.
He's fine and there are no reports of an injury, so look for him to be ready to go in Game 1 against the Heat.

Jim Boylan said he could possibly limit some of his regulars for the regular season finale on Wednesday.
He's not expected to sit anyone flat out except for Larry Sanders (back) due to his injury, but it's a reminder that guys like Ellis and Brandon Jennings may not see a full slate of minutes as the team prepares to take on Miami in the first round of the playoffs.

The Bucks are not expected to rest any players in Wednesday's game against the Thunder.

Monta Ellis and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute will play through illnesses on Monday against the Nuggets.
It should be interesting to see how Monta plays through his illness. He is averaging 38 minutes per game and it could be a shade below that today. Obviously, he should still be in all lineups.

Friends of Monta Ellis expect him to exercise his opt-out clause and become a free agent this summer, the Racine Journal-Times reports.
Ellis would be giving up on a guaranteed $11 million salary in 2013-14 if he opted for free agency. Of course, he could always make that back if one team becomes enamored with Ellis' game. Ellis is averaging a strong 19.3 points, 6.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game this season. However, he's also shooting just 41.4 percent from the field and 28.1 percent from 3-point range.

Monta Ellis went berserk in the Bucks' loss to the Hawks on Friday, scoring 27 points on 9-of-23 shooting with eight rebounds, a career-high 17 assists, five steals and five 3-point buckets.
If you got hit by that your head is still spinning, as Ellis wasted no time asserting himself with Brandon Jennings out. Ersan Ilyasova added 25 points with six treys and seven boards in the loss.

The bad Monta Ellis showed up for Wednesday's game against the Magic, shooting 7-of-27 from the field for 21 points with seven rebounds, 11 assists, two steals, one block and one 3-pointer in 47 minutes.
The line is nice, but making just seven of 27 shot attempts is classic Monta. He'll continue to be busy as long as Brandon Jennings (Achilles) is out, so he might be able to flirt with first-round value the rest of the way as long as he can knock down shots.

Monta Ellis had six steals to go with 22 points, four boards, nine assists, six steals and two 3-pointers on 5-of-14 shooting.
He did make all 10 free throws and this was a solid outing from Monta. He's been putting up top-15 value over the past month and it's hard to believe there was some concern about J.J. Redick (eight points and no threes) having a negative impact on Ellis.

Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings scored a combined 17 points on 6-of-30 shooting in Saturday's tough loss to the Thunder.
The Bucks have lost eight of their past 11 games and they are officially backing into the playoffs in the East. Their nearest competition is the Sixers (29-43), who are six games behind in ninth place, but a first-round playoff date with the Heat isn't much for Milwaukee fans to get psyched about. Ellis had made at least half of his shots in the three previous games, which at least tempers the impact of his 3-of-17 brick-laying exhibition.

Monta Ellis shot 8-of-16 from the field for 18 points in Thursday's 113-103 win over the Lakers, adding seven boards, nine assists and two steals in 36 minutes.
Monta has been the more consistent starting guard for the Bucks since the All-Star break, which is saying something for one of the most up-and-down players in the NBA. He's a bull in a china shop some of the time, but he's a must start fantasy option. Ersan Ilyasvoa also played well in the team win with 20 points, four boards, two 3-pointers, one block and tying his career high with four steals.

Monta Ellis hit 12-of-21 shots for 29 points, seven assists, two steals, a block and two 3-pointers in Wednesday's loss to the Sixers.
Brandon Jennings reportedly got into it with his coach and was benched for the second half, playing just 17 minutes and failing to score. If Jennings is now locked into the doghouse, or is suspended, Ellis is going to be a fantasy monster the rest of the way.

Monta Ellis had a roller coaster of a game against the Hawks on Sunday, scoring 20 points with four boards, four assist, one steal, three 3-pointers and four 3-pointers.
It looked like Monta was going to be the hero with back-to-back threes to put the Bucks up by two points late in the game, but he committed a lazy turnover and had multiple terrible shot attempts to finish the game. This is what Monta does and despite his immense talent, he'll have his down moments.

Monta Ellis had 22 points, six assists, three rebounds and two 3-pointers in Friday's loss to the Pacers.
Ellis did not appear to be affected by the illness that kept him out of the morning shootaround. He played 37 minutes even though the Bucks were down by 19 points after three quarters and got 22 shots up. It's a nice bounce-back effort after Monta went 2-of-14 on Wednesday.

Monta Ellis (flu) will start in Friday's game against the Pacers.
"He's not feeling so well, a little bit weak, a dehydration issue but he's going to give it a go," Jim Boylan said. "We'll just monitor, keep an eye on him. We'll see what happens during the game and go from there." Ellis is dealing with a left non-shooting wrist injury, too, and if there was any time to bench him it would be this -- but one look at his game log shows why we won't be advising that.

Monta Ellis is suddenly questionable to play on Friday against the Pacers because he was sick, and he did not go through shootaround.
Ellis hit just 2-of-14 shots in his last game after battling through a wrist ailment, and now his status for Friday's game is very much up in the air. If he sits out, J.J. Redick would likely start and play major minutes with Ersan Ilyasova (back, hip) not expected to play. Brandon Jennings would also play as many minutes as he can handle at the point with Mike Dunleavy kicking in some extra minutes also.

Monta Ellis played through his left wrist injury on Wednesday and hit just 2-of-14 shots for five points and not much else in a loss to the Hawks.
Ellis has been playing so well that it makes sense he was due for an off night. Whether his wrist injury is to blame or not, as long as he's playing, he has to be in fantasy lineups going forward. He played 40 minutes, but just never got it going after nearly triple-doubling with 21 points on Tuesday, when he suffered the wrist injury. Brandon Jennings overcame a slow first half to finish with 21 points, five assists and three 3-pointers.

Monta Ellis' wrist X-rays were negative after Tuesday's win, and he said afterward that he would be ready to play on Wednesday against the Hawks.
"I just got banged; that's it," he said. Ellis was in pain during Tuesday's win, but he fought through the wrist ailment and finished with a near triple-double with three steals and three blocks. He's on absolute fire right now and should be active in every format as long as he's on the court.

Monta Ellis injured his left wrist on Tuesday but played through it, finishing with 21 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, three steals, three blocks and two 3-pointers on 8-of-18 shooting.
Owners couldn't have asked for much more in the fantasy playoffs, but his wrist is officially a concern. He played through it and will probably continue to try to do so, but he was clearly in pain and held it for the last several minutes of the game, which was a tough win over the Blazers.

Monta Ellis scored 39 points to lift the Bucks to a win on Sunday, making 13-of-22 FGs and 8-of-8 FTs, with five 3-pointers, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Monta scored 25 of his points in the fourth quarter alone, marking an NBA season-high, and we couldn't have imagined a better bounce-back effort after Friday's seven-point dud. He's caught fire at the perfect moment for fantasy owners, averaging 24.9 points on 52.3 percent shooting in March.

Monta Ellis scored just seven points on 3-of-11 shooting to go with three boards, seven assists, two steals and one 3-pointer in 34 minutes against the Heat on Friday.
It was bound to happen and Monta finally crashed in a loss. In his previous 10 games, he shot 51.0 percent from the field for 25.5 points and we'd expect him to get it going against the softer Magic D on Sunday.

Monta Ellis shot 12-of-24 from the field for 32 points with two boards, nine assists, two steals and two 3-pointers in 41 minutes against the Mavericks on Tuesday.
He is absolutely rolling in March, averaging 26.8 points, 4.0 boards, 5.6 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 triples on 53.6 percent shooting in his previous five games. Ellis is flourishing with J.J. Redick and he's also considering opting in for his player option with the Bucks. Monta belongs in all lineups.

Monta Ellis is expected to give "strong consideration" to opting-in for the final year of his contract, which pays him $11 million, according to ESPN.com.
It would be a minor surprise if Monta plays out his deal rather than becoming an unrestricted FA, and his decision may hinge on what happens with restricted FA Brandon Jennings and unrestricted FA J.J. Redick.

Monta Ellis scored 34 points to go with four boards, three assists, four steals, one block and one 3-pointer on 15-of-21 shooting in Monday's win over the Jazz.
The J.J. Redick trade has worked wonders for Monta so far and he's averaged 24.0 points, 4.2 steals and 1.0 triples on 50.5 percent shooting in those five games. He should be starting in all leagues, but even the most optimistic owners can't expect him to keep this up.

Monta Ellis "is going to play considerable time at point guard" following the J.J. Redick trade, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
It's become obvious that J.J. Redick will play a sixth man "gunner" type of role, and when he's in the game, Ellis moves to point guard while Brandon Jennings is seated on the bench. Ellis has played at least 40 minutes in every game since February 11, while Jennings has been limited to 32 minutes or fewer in the last three games. Jennings has been unhappy about his reduced playing time, but it's unlikely to change anything.

Monta Ellis stayed hot on Wednesday with 27 points, six rebounds, a season-high 13 assists, six steals and two 3-pointers on 9-of-24 shooting in 45 minutes of a tough win over the Rockets.
Ellis is killing it right now, and even hit the game-winning three in this one. He came in averaging 19 points, 4.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 2.4 steals over his previous five games, and sits at 24.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 10.5 assists, 6.0 steals and 2.0 3-pointers over his last two, when we've seen Brandon Jennings all but disappear, especially late in games. It's hard to say if Ellis will stay this hot and Jennings this cold, but for now, Ellis is as hot as any player in the league, and has swiped six steals in each of his last two games.

Jim Boylan continued to heap praise on Monta Ellis following Tuesday's win over the Mavericks.
Ellis played 44 minutes while Brandon Jennings was benched in the fourth quarter, and Monta delivered with 22 points, three boards, nine assists and six steals. "I play basketball," he said. "Whatever the team needs me to do, I'm willing to do." This is significant because since J.J. Redick was acquired, Jennings has been the loser in the backcourt timeshare. With Jennings' mind dreaming about playing elsewhere and his questionable shot selection continuing, we can't say we blame Boylan for his choice whatsoever. "Monta was incredible pretty much all night long," Boylan said.

Monta Ellis is "not likely" to be included in a potential deal for Josh Smith according to Ken Berger of CBS Sports.
This would reflect one of the two things. One would be that Smith wants Ellis there in order to sign long-term, or the deal has totally spun in a new direction or is heading off the table. The Bucks have been the loose favorite in the Smith sweepstakes, but as the world turns things could change at any moment.

Sources told ESPN's Chris Broussard that Monta Ellis is not part of a potential trade for Josh Smith.
It's going to be tough for the Bucks to swing with Ellis included, let alone without him. There is conflicting information with less than five hours until Thursday's deadline, and we'll have to see how things shake out.

Monta Ellis shot 5-of-15 from the field and 4-of-9 from the line for 14 points with four boards, five assists and two steals in 40 minutes against Brooklyn on Wednesday.
He hasn't really been what Milwaukee expected and is shooting just 40 percent from the field this year, which is down from his career percentage of 46 percent. The Bucks are in a bit of a jam with their starting backcourt of Eliis and Brandon Jennings set to become free agents at the end of the year, so Monta could be dealt. His role shouldn't have a radical change, so there's no reason to alter his perceived value with the deadline looming.

Monta Ellis hit 7-of-18 shots for 18 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, a steal, a block and a 3-pointer in Tuesday's loss.
He's having a nice season for the Bucks and like some of his teammates, is a trade candidate. But if he stays in Milwaukee, we should see a lot more of where this came from the rest of the way.

Both ESPN's Chris Broussard and CBS' Ken Berger are reporting that the Bucks and Hawks are talking about a trade involving Monta Ellis and Josh Smith.
The Hawks reportedly think that Ellis and Jeff Teague would mesh well together in their backcourt. The Bucks, meanwhile, have bigger plans up their sleeve. If they can pry Smith from the Hawks, they'd perhaps then try to trade defensive stopper Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and a pick to the Magic for J.J. Redick. That would leave them with a very solid starting five of Brandon Jennings, Redick, Ersan Ilyasova, Smith and Larry Sanders. It's a potential deal to monitor as the Hawks weigh their options ahead of Thursday's deadline.

The Bucks could offer Monta Ellis as part of a trade for Josh Smith, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.
Ellis is expected to opt out of his contract at the end of the season and become an unrestricted free agent, so the Hawks would still be in the same boat that they'd be with Smith. It's unknown what Ellis' asking price would be in free agency, but the Hawks are said to like Ellis in a backcourt that already includes Jeff Teague and Louis Williams. Teague will be a restricted free agent after the year.

According to the Boston Globe, Monta Ellis is "expected to reject" his $11 million player option for next season and become an unrestricted free agent.
If the Bucks keep both Ellis and Brandon Jennings through the deadline, the Bucks are going to be an interesting team to watch in the offseason. Jennings will be a restricted free agent, while Ellis could become an unrestricted free agent. GM John Hammond has stated the Bucks would like to keep the duo together, but that may have just been typical front office lip service. Keep an eye on Milwaukee through Thursday's trade deadline.

Samuel Dalembert and Monta Ellis are the two players that are most likely to be traded from the Bucks.
Dalembert has an expiring contract and with the Bucks likely wanting to let Larry Sanders loose, Sammy is the most likely candidate to be sporting a new uniform this weekend. As for Ellis, he has an opt-out clause and he'll likely come at a much higher price. While there are no reports with teeth, Ellis owners shouldn't be too worried. On the other hand, there is some sell-high appeal to Sammy.

Monta Ellis scored 27 points with four rebounds, five assist, one steal and one turnover in Wednesday's 94-92 win over the Sixers.
He was in a fender bender on Tuesday, but was never expected to miss the game tonight. Monta has some bad luck with accidents on motor vehicles, though, since he did tear ligaments in a moped accident back in 2008. He scored 25.5 points per game in his last two and is ending his first half riding high.

Monta Ellis is expected to play on Wednesday despite being involved in a fender bender on Tuesday.
Ellis missed Tuesday's practice because of the accident, but it sounds like he'll be in the lineup on Wednesday against the Sixers. We should have confirmation well before tipoff.

Monta Ellis missed Tuesday's practice after being involved in a "fender bender."

Monta Ellis scored 24 points on 9-of-21 shooting (0-for-4 3PTs, 6-of-9 FTs) with seven rebounds, eight assists, six steals, and one block in the Bucks' 102-90 loss to the Wizards on Monday.
Ellis has been struggling lately and has been a hot name in the rumor mill, though no landing spot has hit the airwaves yet. Owners will want to watch him closely, as a trade to a crowded situation could steal away value.

Coach Jim Boylan said that Monta Ellis needs to "stay aggressive" through his recent cold stretch.
Ellis is shooting just 39.8 percent from the field this season, and while he said he's "not thinking about" his future, Ellis can opt out at the end of the season and become a free agent if he declines his player option worth $11 million. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel indicates that Ellis' body language is an indication that he's unhappy, but we're not putting a ton of stock into that right now.

Monta Ellis made just 3-of-9 shots for eight points on Saturday, as the Bucks blew a fourth-quarter lead for their second straight loss.
This was Monta's third game of the season with single-digit points, and he still logged 38 minutes, so there's no cause for lasting concern.

Monta Ellis scored 21 points and tied his season-high with 11 assists on Saturday, but all Jim Boylan could talk about was his defensive effort vs. J.J. Redick.
"The defense that Monta Ellis played tonight on J.J. Redick was as good as you'll see all year," said Boylan. "For the entire time he was out there, Monta was totally focused defensively. When he's playing like that, focused, he can guard just about anybody." Monta is allowing 105 points per 100 possessions this season, according to basketball-reference.com, which would be the best mark of his eight-year career.

Monta Ellis scored 21 points on 8-of-20 shooting (including two threes) with six rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and one block in the Bucks' loss to the Cavs on Friday.
Monta is starting to heat up and should be in all lineups.

Monta Ellis had his third double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 assists, adding five rebounds and two steals in 44 minutes against Philly on Tuesday.
He shot 7-of-10 from the field and it was his best shooting performance of the year, based on field goal percentage. Monta also set a season-high 44 minutes in the win and he's getting hot lately with production in points, assists and steals. He should be in all lineups.

Monta Ellis didn't appear to be bothered by his sprained left ankle on Friday and had 13 points, four boards, five assists and one steal in 27 minutes against the Pistons.
The 27 minutes were far below his season average of 36.4 minutes, but this game was a blowout and Milwaukee shot just 39.6 percent as a team. Monta appears to be healthy and he should be ready for the Raptors on Sunday.

Monta Ellis returned to action on Friday January 11.

Monta Ellis (ankle) will start against the Pistons on Friday.
His ankle sprain didn't look too bad on Wednesday, but since it was to the same ankle that he severely injured earlier in his career while riding a moped, he wasn't a lock to play. Monta owners should get him in their lineups.

Monta Ellis (ankle) did not practice on Thursday, but coach Jim Boylan expects him to play in Friday's game.
Ellis didn't seem concerned about the injury when it happened, either, so owners should feel confident leaving him in active lineups. The bad news is that he's been ice cold from the field in January, shooting 34.8 percent in five games.

Monta Ellis was not "overly concerned" about his sprained ankle.
Ellis actually referred to the injury as a "tweaked ankle," and while he's confident about his chances of playing Friday, his availability will ultimately be determined by how his ankle responds on Thursday and Friday.

Monta Ellis hit 6-of-14 shots for 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, five steals and a block in 40 minutes on Wednesday, but suffered a sprained left ankle near the end of the game, and had hobbled to the bench.
He was removed from the game, but said afterward that he would be ready to play on Friday, but we'll have to see how he's feeling when he wakes up on Thursday morning. It's also worth noting that this is the same ankle that he injured in the moped accident, but it doesn't appear to be too serious. Ellis has struggled with his shot in his last two games for new coach Jim Boylan, but the fact he played 40 minutes in each of them is all we need to hear.

Monta Ellis hit 5-of-19 shots for 13 points, three rebounds, three assists, a 3-pointer and five turnovers in Tuesday's win over the Suns.
Ellis couldn't find his shot tonight, but the important thing is that his 40 minutes were the team high, despite him not being able to buy a bucket. Ellis should be just fine under his new coach.