Should the Indiana Pacers Sign Monta Ellis?

Monta Ellis flew to Indiana today to have a meeting with the Indiana Pacers. We haven’t heard anything about what transpired, but the talks are likely over already or wrapping up soon. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Pacers were prepared to make a three year, $32 million offer.

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But that was reported before the meeting and we don’t know whether the price has gone up, down or stayed the same.

Presumably, though, that number was enough to get Monta on plane so it seems like this reasonable-yet-not-overwhelming offer could have some legs — which seems like a slight bargain at least in the market we’ve seen so far in day one of free agency.

These are all questions of could. “Could the Pacers get Monta Ellis?”

The other side of the coin is the should. “Should the Pacers sign Monta Ellis?” Obviously there is some salary number where it makes no sense not to hire the man. But we’re looking at the reported figures, and there is a cost to throwing all the cap space at Monta as opposed to either (a) giving it all to someone else, or (b) spreading it out between two or more lesser players. Someone suggested Rodney Stuckey and another player, for example.

To gauge the pulse of Pacers Nation, I asked my Twitter followers what they thought. I used a nickname that is not actually a nickname of Monta to ask “Mo Or No?”

The response was overwhelmingly in favor of signing Monta Ellis, and here is a sampling of the voting returns.

@8pts9secs LET THEM HAVE IT ALL!
— Mike B 8 (@mike_saurus) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs #Mo #Yes
— 🎄Daddy Steve🎄 (@SMosley21) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs yes need another playmaker #MoOrNo
— Mr. McHenry (@dmacirish) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs how much better is Monta than Stuckey? Serious question.
— TB (@Ooo_That_Burns) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs would make it easy to get a pacers jersey with my son's name on the back.
— Corn. (@KMMcCammack) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs yep, do it now before his price raises.
— Greg Schrage (@gschrage) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs the Pacers could have retained a similar player in Stuckey at a cheaper price
— Ted (@WaltelWhite) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs #HellMo
— Victor Frankenreich (@ColtsnPacers) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs #mo
— RWH (@Hamptonian10) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs Id rather tie up the money in a Tobias harris offer sheet and if Orlando matches sign cheap ed Davis types like stuckey last year
— Heitzman (@Heitz) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs dude does have a tendency to help teams make the playoffs and fits the new direction, so I'm in #MoORNo
— 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝘄 (@DriveFrew) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs No. Always disliked his game.
— Fernando Surcinelli (@FernandoGrone) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs After seeing some of the numbers for contracts today, I see nothing wrong w/ offering Monta 3/32 or whatever.
— Garrison Carr (@GarrisonCarr) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs So, uh.... #Mo, I guess.
— Garrison Carr (@GarrisonCarr) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs No. Sign Stuckey for less and use some of the change for another asset.
— Gentry (@gentryhudson) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs I like the wing rotation with George, Miles, and potentially Ellis
— Mr. BRB and S-Dot (@LetsTalkNBA) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs no way José
— Ted (@WaltelWhite) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs we have to spend that money, it will be useless next season and Ellis seems to fit the new style. #Mo
— The Toast (@Eltoast0) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs #Mo(st) Definitely.
— Pump (@BPump33) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs I'm Pro #Mo
— Stephen Morgan (@StephenMorgan83) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs mo. Fo sho
— ClayJay (@clayjay31) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs @Ooo_That_Burns i think ellis can score more but that means less shots for everyone else. Fit is the main question.
— shiki31 (@reidshikuma) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs Mo
— Bret W (@maestro_sax) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs The real question: Is Monta better than Stuck + whoever you get w/ $ you save by not signing Monta? Answer still may be yes. Idk
— TB (@Ooo_That_Burns) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs brings a lot to the table with offense. Could be very fun to watch. Was nervous about his contract until I saw amir get 12 mil.
— Kyle Blankenship (@kyleb_5307) July 1, 2015

@8pts9secs Wtf is taking so long. Do it already!!!!!
— Vanel Stamps (@conan_stamps) July 1, 2015

Next: Pacers Yet to Reach Out to Rodney Stuckey

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