Jerome Miron- USA Today Sports
With the start of free agency just days away, the Miami Heat have started to consider other options in light of the potential departure of Dwyane Wade. Although negotiations of Wade’s contract haven’t officially begun, the fact that both parties are so far apart in terms of an agreement is a little troubling. If Wade were to sign with another team, the Heat would need a starting shooting guard immediately, and that is where Monta Ellis could come into play.
Ellis officially opted out of his contract with the Dallas Mavericks, making him a free agent at midnight on July 1. By this point, the Heat should have a fair read on whether Wade will be staying or taking his talents to another franchise. Although Ellis isn’t as decorated as Wade, his production would be more than enough to steady the backcourt rotation for the Heat.
Ellis isn’t nearly as efficient as Wade on the floor, but his ability to score and carry an offense shouldn’t be understated. Ellis averaged 18.9 points, 4.1 assists and 1.9 steals on 46 percent shooting from the field. The greatest part about these averages is that Ellis achieved them while playing 80 of the 82 regular season games in 2015. This is truly where Ellis and Wade differ. Ellis has the ability to play more than two-thirds of a season, something Wade hasn’t been able to do since 2010.
If Wade decides to opt out of his contract and sign with another franchise, the Heat have to go all-in on signing Ellis. The Mavericks won’t let go of him easily, potentially making the bidding war for his services a tad pricey. Still, Ellis is by far one of the best veteran free agent shooting guards on the market, and he would be an ideal replacement for Wade in Miami.
Jared Doyle is a Miami Heat writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @outofboundsjay, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
