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A severe high ankle sprain puts someone out for 3 months?
Wow.
The Golden State Warriors won't have Baron Davis or Monta Ellis in their starting lineup on opening night.
In the latest blow during a difficult summer for Golden State, ESPN.com has learned that Ellis -- just awarded one of the biggest pay raises in league history -- will be sidelined at least three months, possibly four, after suffering a severe high ankle sprain in his hometown of Jackson, Miss.
Ellis was scheduled to undergo surgery on his left ankle in Alabama on Wednesday, according to team sources, after he informed the club late last week that he had injured himself working out. More specifics about how Ellis sustained the injury were not immediately available.
Surgery is needed to repair a torn deltoid ligament, sources said, and the foot will need to be immobilized for the first six weeks.
It was less than a month ago that Ellis received a six-year, $66 million contract extension from the Warriors, whose tumultuous offseason began with Davis making a verbal commitment to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers on the very first day of free agency.
The contract calls for Ellis to earn a flat $11 million in each of the next six seasons. He made just $770,610 last season, the final year in a modest three-year deal he received as a second-round pick in 2005.
Golden State, which failed to reach the playoffs last season, insisted that it achieved its top two offseason priorities by re-signing Ellis and fellow restricted free agent Andris Biedrins.
The Warriors were nonetheless stunned by the sudden nature of Davis' departure -- as Davis initially was expected not to opt out of the final year of his contract -- and now have likely lost the prolific guard expected to inherit much of Davis' scoring responsibilities until December at the earliest.
The Warriors responded to Davis' exit by signing swingman Corey Maggette away from the Clippers to join co-captain Stephen Jackson, and by signing Los Angeles Lakers restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf to add bulk on their front line.
They also matched the Clippers' offer sheet to retain restricted free agent Kelenna Azubuike and acquired backup point guard Marcus Williams in a trade with New Jersey. The Warriors are likewise extremely high on first-round draft pick Anthony Randolph, and thus did little to prevent forwards Mickael Pietrus (Orlando) and Matt Barnes (Phoenix) from following Davis out the door.
It remains possible that the Warriors could trade forward Al Harrington before the start of the season, with Harrington reportedly open to a move. Yet there's really no replicating what Ellis provides for the Warriors, especially given coach Don Nelson's plans to use Ellis regularly at point guard after playing him primarily as a shooting guard in Ellis' first three pro seasons.
Ellis, 22, seemed to understand his importance to the team's post-Baron future when Ellis shared at a news conference in late July that Davis recently "told me it was time to hand over the torch."
Ellis averaged 20.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists last season. He won NBA Most Improved Player honors in the 2006-07 season, averaging 16.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
The only solace for the Warriors is that Ellis does have a history of making strong, fast recoveries from major injuries. He slipped to No. 40 in the 2005 draft, in spite of a decorated high school career, because of a knee problem.
But he has since proven more productive in the NBA than any of the 10 players drafted out of high school that year, which was the last time high school players were eligible to be selected. That group includes No. 6 overall pick Martell Webster (Portland); No. 10 Andrew Bynum (Los Angeles Lakers); and No. 18 Gerald Green (drafted by Boston, now with Dallas).
Ellis suffered what initially appeared to be a serious knee injury during a summer-league practice in 2006, and endured an even scarier fall early in training camp last October that resulted in a neck sprain and required Ellis to be immobilized and carted off the court.
In both cases, though, Ellis missed minimal time. He appeared in 77 and 81 games, respectively, after the two injuries.
Ellis is also known for his boundless confidence, as evidenced when he scoffed at reporters' recent suggestions that the switch from shooting guard to the point will be a problem.
"I'm going to improve every part of my game," Ellis said last month. "That's what I do. That's why I play basketball . . . to improve and to become the best player [who] ever touched a basketball."
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3556108
A severe high ankle sprain puts someone out for 3 months?
Wow.
yea, people need to kindly drink a glass of shut the up when calling Dirk weak, wimpy, soft, pussy, etc...
3 month injury. Dirk came back in what... a week?
Dirk's high ankle sprain kept him out less than two weeks. Further proof that the "soft" label on Dirk is one of the more idiotic things ever.
haha read my mind.
Unfortunately, we will never be able to change the minds of the idiots that claim Dirk to be "soft".
Last edited by sribb43; 08-27-2008 at 02:18 PM.
Don't worry-- if Dirk becomes a free agent and so much as looks at any team in the entire league, you can be sure that the fans of those teams will jump on forums like this one and beg their front offices to get him. I can't imagine any fan in the league saying, naw, we don't need him-- he's too soft...
True...once he is out of a mavs uniform, his slate will be cleaned and be regarded as an all-time great...see Steve Nash after 2003-04 season
Expect the Capt. Jack extension to come quickly now...
no he is soft... no doubt about it. now go kick some exercise bikes and lose a 2-0 lead in the finals. the big pussy!
at this stupid got.
He's a pussy.
Sho' nuff.
You better pop yo breaks there, boy.
Things started out bad last season for GSW without Capt Jack.
Will it be the same this season?
Let me get one of these to ponder the unfairness that has befallen Golden State:
Welcome to the club. Robinson never lived it down either after being outplayed by Olajuwon in 1 playoff series. But I guess soft players go out and take a cortisone shot to guard Shaq when they couldn't even walk a couple of days earlier.
Well GSW can kiss goodbye a playoff spot.
Oh, and Dirk is a little .
if only he didnt play in the olympics.
this shows how selfish, unloyal, and ungrateful of america monta ellis is, getting injured in a worthless, extracurricular activity
They weren't a playoff team to begin with.
This is the Warriors chance to tank and get Rubio
Marcus Williams and Marco Belinelli will now get a ton of playing time, each probably developing at a faster rate and into better players than had Ellis not went down. I didn't consider them a playoff team this season, anyways, so this really doesn't hurt them for what they really should be striving for: their future...
Getting Williams and Belinelli PT will probably only benefit such.
i love that avatar..haha
this troll got old really fast. like after the first post or two.
I think Dirk is a softie with real strong ankles
Agreed. Josh Howard troll needs to retire already. not every one can stay fresh like the Rappin' Aristotle.
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