Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Ellis Comes Clean Edition

Well, the saga of Monta Ellis' injury is continuing and possibly coming to a close as the Contra Costa Times is reporting that he has come clean about how the injury happened. According to a team source, the Warriors now know that Ellis' ankle injury was not sustained in a workout but it happened outdoors and not while playing basketball. The report says he was scared to tell the truth at first but eventually did after the questions just wouldn't go away because of the inconsistencies that continued to come up. The team can fine and/or suspend Ellis if he injured his ankle by participating in a prohibited activity such as riding a motorcycle. Should he somehow not be able to play again, the Warriors could terminate the six-year, $66 million contract they signed Ellis to in July.

As the Knicks continue to try to put the Isiah years behind them, they may be close to correcting one of his biggest financial blunders by trading Zach Randolph. Walsh has been actively trying to trade Randolph this off season and nearly had a deal with the Clippers in July. They could have moved Randolph and his contract to the Clippers without having to take any salary in return. When Walsh didn't pull the trigger on that trade, the Nuggets stepped in and traded Marcus Camby to the Clippers in a similar deal. Now, the Knicks are on the verge of trading Randolph to the Grizzlies for Darko Milicic and Marko Jaric. If and when the Randolph deal is made that would give the Knicks 17 players under contract, two over the maximum. Odds are that Stephon Marbury will be released at some point which would cut yet another tie with the Isiah Thomas era in New York.

The fact that the Knicks are over the maximum number of players allowed hasn't stopped Allan Houston from trying to make a comeback with the team. The 37-year-old former All-Star shooting guard has been working out and playing all summer and, according to multiple sources, Houston has spoken with Donnie Walsh about an invite to training camp later this month. The Knicks have an interest in Houston if he shows he can still shoot it like he used to and Walsh is believed to have an interest in including Houston in something on the basketball operations side of the business if he isn't able to make the roster.

The Cavaliers have announced that they have dsigned their second round draft pick, Darnell Jackson, on Saturday. Terms were not disclosed, but it is believed Jackson will make the rookie league minimum, $440,000, if he makes the team in training camp. He was picked 52nd overall by the Miami Heat and then traded to the Cavs on draft night for a future second-round pick.

Newly elected Hall of Fame center, Patrick Ewing is hoping that his son will be able to impress the Knicks enough in training camp to make the team. If he makes the team he'll most likely wear his father's No. 33, which he did at Georgetown. And while the expectations are not what they were for his father, the young Ewing will bring the high character element the Knicks are looking to bring back to the locker room.

Bonzi Wells is one of the forgotten free agents as the free agency period is coming to an end and training camps prepare to start. There were rumblings early in the offseason that New Orleans may try to bring Bonzi back but those rumors have cooled off. New Orleans wouldn't hurt their financial situation by retaining Wells and perhaps those discussions could resurface in the coming weeks. Bonzi is one of the players we can point to who passed on a contract with thoughts of making a lot more in free agency. Back then with the Kings, Bonzi passed on inking a five-year deal worth a reported $38.5 million and now two teams later, Wells finds himself without a team with NBA training camp set to open in a matter of weeks.

In addition to the 13 players under contract, Phoenix will invite three non-roster players, all extreme long shots to make the club. They are Robert Hite, a 6-2 combo guard from the University of Miami, Jiri Hubalek, a 6-11 forward/center from Iowa State, and Trey Johnson, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Jackson State. The Bucks are inviting former UNLV point guard Kevin Kruger to the Milwaukee Bucks’ camp this weekend. UNLV coach Lon Kruger confirmed that his son will participate in fall camp with the Bucks. If it doesn’t materialize into a roster spot, options will include Europe or a return to the D-League.

Lakers Center Andrew Bynum has pronounced himself 100% healthy and ready for training camp. Bynum never got to play with Pau Gasol on the team and most Laker fans feel that the addition of a healthy Bynum will put them over the top. I am not sure that will make the difference as when the Celtics played them twice during the season, Perk had little trouble containing Bynum and had a couple of his best games going up against him. In the Athlon preview, they favor the Hornets to win the West and so they obviously feel that the addition of James Posey to the Hornets is more signifcant than the addition of Bynum to the Lakers.

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