Miami Heat guard Wayne Ellington might be on the move.
According to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, the Los Angeles Lakers are interested in adding Ellington to their team:
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“ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Lakers would like to pluck small forward Trevor Ariza, who played 106 combined games for Los Angeles in 2008 and 2009, from the Suns. Ariza may be the top option, but there are other possible targets.
“Among them, a source told Sporting News, is another former Laker — Heat guard Wayne Ellington, a 3-point specialist who would help LA’s struggles from the 3-point arc. Ellington is on a one-year deal with the Heat, and he has the right to veto a trade.
“But as Miami’s season continues to look fruitless, Ellington’s name has come up more in trade talks. The Heat would be open to moving Ellington to a playoff team for a first-round pick, according to sources. He has averaged 10.0 points and is making 38.1 percent of his 3-pointers.”
As the Lakers look to create more depth and surround superstar LeBron James with more shooters, the Heat veteran makes perfect sense.
Ellington, 31, is one of the premier shooters in the league. While the 10-year pro’s numbers are down to 9.7 points a game this year, Ellington averaged a career-high 11.2 points on 39 percent shooting from downtown last season. In the process, the sharpshooter broke the Heat’s all-time single season record for 3-pointers made in a season with 227 last year.
The Heat rewarded the University of North Carolina product with a one-year deal for $6.2 million over the summer. While Ellington has the power to veto any trade, a relocation to Los Angeles would be nice. The Lakers are playing great and look like a lock to make the playoffs. Furthermore, when Heat guard Dion Waiters returns from injury, Ellington could see his minutes dip.
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