Oct 11, 2008 - 5:23 PM
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Ellis, who signed a six-year, $66 million extension this offseason, suffered a torn ligament in his left ankle as a result of a moped accident this past August.
The 22-year-old Ellis initially told the Warriors that he had suffered the injury during a pickup basketball game in his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. But the Warriors ultimately learned that Ellis was injured from the moped, a direct violation of his new contract.
In a statement released by the Warriors, team president Robert Rowell claimed that Ellis violated paragraph 12 of the uniform player contract.
The suspension will include the Warriors' final four preseason games and run through December 17. Ellis was scheduled to make $11 million this season.
"The cooperation that we received from Jeff Fried (Ellis' agent) enabled us to be very diligent in collecting all of the facts surrounding the incident," Rowell said. "This 30-game suspension is a result of that."
Ellis underwent surgery to repair the torn ankle ligaments on August 27 and is expected to miss at least the first month of the regular season.
The Warriors have not released an official timetable for Ellis' return, but multiple media outlets have reported that the three-year veteran will be sidelined until January at the earliest.
"From this point forward, it is the complete focus of everyone involved to provide Monta with all the support he needs to have a successful rehabilitation, and to get him back on the court as an integral part of this team," Rowell said.
The 6-3 Ellis enjoyed a breakthrough 2007-08 season, averaging career highs of 20.2 points and 5.0 rebounds.
The Warriors, who lost star point guard Baron Davis to free agency this past summer, rewarded Ellis with the lucrative contract that constituted one of the largest raises in NBA history. The 40th overall selection of the 2005 draft, Ellis made just over $770,000 last season.
