NBA roundup: Ellis opts out of Bucks contract
Milwaukee Bucks guard Monta Ellis informed the team that he plans to opt out of his contract, ESPN reported Monday.
Ellis has one year and $11 million left on his deal, but can opt out and become a free agent on July 1.
The Bucks recently offered Ellis a three-year extension worth $36 million, but an agreement was not reached.
The Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers reportedly have interest in the eight-year veteran. However, the Lakers could only acquire him in a sign-and-trade deal. Ellis is close friends with Lakers center Dwight Howard, and they have expressed an interest in playing together.
---A trade involving Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers and forward Kevin Garnett going to the Los Angeles Clippers that was rejected by the Clippers over the weekend is not dead yet.
The New York Daily News reported Monday that talks between the two teams could resume some time after the NBA Finals are over and before the NBA draft later this month.
---The Los Angeles Lakers want to retain center Dwight Howard, even though he intends to become a free agent on July 1. However, the team also has not ruled out signing and trading Howard if he insists on leaving.
ESPN Los Angeles reported that the Lakers have had talks with Howard's representatives and are weighing their options with Howard.
It was reported Saturday that the Los Angeles Clippers have interest in possibly trading power forward Blake Griffin and backup point guard Eric Bledsoe for Howard in a sign-and-trade deal. The Lakers reportedly expect a sign-and-trade offer from the Houston Rockets as well.
---Sunday night's telecast of Game 5 of the NBA Finals on ABC received an 11.4 Nielsen overnight rating.
The San Antonio Spurs' 114-104 victory over the visiting Miami Heat to take a 3-2 series lead was down 9.5 percent from last year's Game 5 series clincher between the Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder, Sports Business Daily reported.
---The Denver Nuggets announced they hired Tim Connelly as executive vice president of basketball operations.
Connelly, 36, spent the last three years as assistant general manager of the New Orleans Hornets, who recently changed their name to the Pelicans.
He will be introduced by the team in a press conference later this week.
---The Sacramento Kings officially announced the hiring of Pete D'Alessandro as their general manager.
The hiring had been reported by multiple outlets over the weekend.
D'Alessandro was the Denver Nuggets' vice president of basketball operations this past season.
The Kings also offered former Warriors general manager Chris Mullin a job as a consultant, the Sacramento Bee reported. Sources told the Bee that Mullin is likely to accept.
---Allen Iverson's ex-wife, Tawanna Iverson, filed legal documents suggesting Iverson abducted their five children, TMZ reported.
Allen asked for permission to take their five children on a vacation to Charlotte, N.C., from May 22 to May 26. Tawanna, who has sole legal and primary physical custody of their children, agreed. But on May 26, the children hadn't been returned. She said she tried to set up an exchange on June 4 at a neutral location, but Allen did not show up.
