Bucks and Warriors complete blockbuster: Monta Ellis Milwaukee-bound

According to multiple reports, the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors have completed a blockbuster trade that will send star guard Monta Ellis to the Bucks with Andrew Bogut heading west to Golden State.

The Bucks will also reportedly acquire center Kwame Brown and forward Ekpe Udoh. Stephen Jackson will be shipped with Bogut to the Warriors. 

Ellis, in his seventh NBA season, is one of the league's most dynamic scorers. He is averaging 21.9 points per game this season after averaging 24.1 last season and 25.5 two seasons ago. However, there have been rumors for weeks that Ellis might be traded, due in large part to his apathy towards signing a long-term deal in Golden State.

The Orlando Magic had reportedly been all over Ellis, but the Warriors were reluctant to deal him to Orlando without getting Dwight Howard back in return.

Ellis was expendable because of the play of guard Stephen Curry, who is a similar player in both size and skill as Ellis. However, Curry has been battling ankle injuries all season, however, so he has been at less than 100 percent.

In Milwaukee Ellis will have to share the backcourt with another point guard like he did in Golden State. In this case, it is Bucks' point guard Brandon Jennings. Yahoo! reported that the Bucks have no interest in trading Jennings.

By acquiring Bogut, the Warriors are filling a much-needed void up front. However, the seventh-year, former No. 1 overall pick from Australia is currently out with an ankle injury and his status for the remainder of the season is unknown. It is unclear whether he will need to be examined by Warriors doctors before the trade is finalized. 

For his career, Bogut has averaged 12.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. 

The 33-year-old Jackson is having a down year, averaging just 10.5 points per game. He is currently day-to-day with a hamstring injury. 

The move also dumps the unhappy Jackson, and the $10 million he is owed in 2012-13, on the Warriors. However, the Warriors don't appear to have plans to buyout his contract. 

This will be Jackson's second stint with the Warriors. He previously served as the team's captain int he late-2000s before a falling out with then-head coach Don Nelson and general manager Larry Riley led to a trade to the Charlotte Bobcats. 

Brown, the 2001 No. 1 overall pick, was having a bit of a resurgent year with the Warriors before getting injured nine games in. He is likely done for the year. 

Udoh, a second-year player out of Baylor, is averaging 5.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game off of the Warriors bench this season.

How does Ellis feel about being dealt out of Golden State? Well, San Francisco Chronicle Warriors' beat writer tweeted that Ellis "looked as happy as he has in years" when addressing the media. He followed that tweet, with this dandy.

Ellis offered this gem, "I knew they weren't going to trade me to a playoff team."

— Rusty Simmons (@Rusty_SFChron) March 14, 2012

My gut reaction is that Milwaukee won this trade, especially with the question marks surrounding Bogut's health. At least one Bay Area writer agrees. So does at least one Warriors' player.

Said one Warriors player: "So we're just giving up on the season?"

— Marcus Thompson (@gswscribe) March 14, 2012

What do you think?