Monta Ellis was a well-known player during his time in the league. If it wasn’t for injuries that he suffered during his career, he could have played a lot longer in the league. Ellis was a fan favorite playing for the Golden State Warriors.

Ellis was said to be the franchise player of the team, then the Warriors went and drafted Stephen Curry, and the two became the new Warriors’ backcourt. But Ellis wasn’t too fond of playing with Curry.

Ellis and Curry playing together

When Curry joined the Warriors as a rookie during the 2009-10 season, Ellis was in his fifth year. That was a big year for Ellis, and he averaged 25.5 points per game, which were the most in his career. Ellis started to establish himself as a top player in the league while Curry was coming into his own as a rookie.

The backcourt in Golden State started to gain notoriety throughout the league. Though the two guards were beginning to excel in the league, the Warriors were not doing good as a team. The team finished with a 26-56 record, one of the worst records in the league.

The next two seasons weren’t any better for the Warriors. Though Ellis, was having a good season individually, the team could not have any success. Curry was still adapting to the style and play of the NBA. Something needed to be done for the Warriors to get on the winning track.

Monta Ellis did not think the Warriors could win with him and Curry

The Warriors never had a winning season with Curry and Ellis as the backcourt. Ellis knew that a change needed to be made with the team. He said that he did not believe the Warriors could win with the two of them playing on the same team.

The Warriors saw Curry as the future of the team, so a decision had to be made. During the 2011-12 season, the Warriors traded Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks. That decision worked in the Warriors favor in the long run. When the Warriors made the trade, the team saw a new backcourt for the new team. Klay Thompson was in his rookie season at the time of the Ellis trade, and Curry and Thompson would form a great duo in Golden State.

Curry and Thompson formed the nickname ‘Splash Brothers’ because of their outstanding shooting abilities. The next season after Ellis was off, the team went 47-35, and the winning started from there.

Once Ellis left, the winning started

Ellis had a good career with the Warriors. Before the team had success, they did Ellis was one of the top players in the Western Conference playing with the team. Though Ellis didn’t think the team would win with him and Curry playing together, the two had a good relationship.

Before the Warriors became a dynasty, they suffered their woes as a team. Curry was part of the losing years, so he knew what it was like to face defeat and knew what it took to become a winning team, and if Ellis and Curry would have stayed together, who knows if the Warriors would have had a winning season.