Lakers Express Interest In Long-Retired Guard Monta Ellis

 

The Los Angeles Lakers have been collecting former star players of many years ago at a breakneck pace this offseason. Now they're looking at Monta Ellis, who hasn't played in the NBA in four years. The Lakers reached out Monday to Ellis' agent, in the hopes of bringing him in for a workout.

Report: Lakers have expressed interest in working out veteran guard Monta Ellis https://t.co/uFOkilbrm4

— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) September 21, 2021

Derrius Nelson, who reps Ellis, and told Empire Sports Media, “(he's) not big on being a star anymore. He’s been there already. His [possible] addition can make them one of the best LA Lakers teams to go down in history.”

Perhaps a bit of hyperbole there by Nelson. And maybe if this was 2010, he could be on to something. The Lakers have brought in former superstars Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard, along with DeAndre Jordan and Rajon Rondo, to surround LeBron James and Anthony Davis this season. 

LA's head coach Frank Vogel is familiar with Ellis, who last played in the NBA in the 2016-17 season. The year before that, Vogel coached Ellis with the Indiana Pacers.

Ellis announced his intention to make a comeback last month, and has already been given a look by the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets this offseason, now the 35-year-old could get a shot at joining many of his contemporaries on the Lakers.