Monta Ellis on playing with Stephen Curry: "We just can't"

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Ellis was asked a relatively innocuous question about playing alongside rookie Stephen Curry, and responded emphatically that the two smallish guards weren't going to be able to play together.

"Us together? No," Ellis said. "Can't. We just can't. ... Just can't."

Someone then jumped in and said to Ellis: "Do you understand, they (the Warriors and coach Don Nelson) say you can?"

"They say you can?" Ellis repeated. "They say you can ... but you can't. I just want to win and you're not going to win that way."

He's got a point of course, you do have to wonder how it's going to work out with the two of them in the backcourt, but for Ellis to come out and be so undiplomatic about it is kind of crass. Along with Stephen Jackson publicly angling for a trade, I can't imagine the Warriors will have particularly good chemistry heading into this season.

I've always been skeptical of Monta's loyalty to the Warriors.
Ever since he signed that 6 year contract, he's turned into a spoiled brat golden child.

It might have been better off he didn't say this out loud. Now it's very likely for them to have locker room and chemistry problem. He's got a point and all that, but he could have arrange his words in a better way.

Boy, do the Warriors regret signing Monta to a long contract now... but he does make sense though. Both him and Curry are volume shooters who need alot of shots to be effective, and it's pretty clear they're overmatched on defense with a backcourt like that.

last offseason was moped. this offseason he is being dissmissive. the coach will decide what lineups work not you.

"It's different," Ellis said. "When you're trying to compare Stephen and you're trying to go back with me and Baron (Davis) playing. It's a different situation. You've got a nine-year veteran who has been in the game and understands the game and knows how to play the game and he's got a big body.

"You can't put two small guys out there and play the one and the two. You've got big two-guards in the league. You just can't do it. Yes, you're going to move up and down but eventually the game is going to slow down. You can't do it."

It's a lot harsher sounding when you don't quote his justification to go along with it. Ironically enough, what he says is true.

People are still going to bash him though, which is understandable. You kind of have to be as politically correct as possible when doing interviews.

He has a point and a right to express it, but is it really a good idea for him to be saying that kind of stuff in public? Not only does he sound like he doesn't have any faith in the idea, but he doesn't even sound interested in making it work. He's entitled to his opinion and to express it for that matter, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's the right thing to do or a good idea. If I'm the Warriors, I'm not too pleased to hear him come out and say that. Especially after his trade demands and the whole situation with his contract and injury last season.

Ellis is absolutely right, for the same reason you can't go big in the backcourt without two ballhandlers. (Bulls could because Pippen and Jordan did it.) It actually kills the team as neither player can get going without knowing if they have to handle the ball. Plus, they'll get killed defensively. Cleveland is a current example that can get away with this because LeBron handles the ball.

Nelson used to know this was something you can do in spurts, like when he'd go Nash-VanExel and kill teams. Then he became senile and has run the Warriors, with some of the greatest talent in the league just sitting around gathering dust, into the ground. He's counting on Jackson too much when the guy is arguably the most insane player in NBA history.

To be fair, Curry can play point guard a lot better than most people would assume. 6apg on a team when you're basically the only good player isn't that bad. Especially in college when even great point guards or "future stars" can barely hit that. (PROTIP: Derrick Rose averaged fewer assists per 36 than Curry.)

Perhaps the handwriting is on the wall for Ellis' departure. It wouldn't be altogether surprising as his relationship with Nelson and the front office seemed to deteriorate last season, though admittedly pretty much every report about that was contradictory so who knows how amicable the relationships truly are.