Monta Ellis for Andre Iguodala Trade in the Works?

Tonight, ESPN.com's senior analyst Ric Bucher reported that the Warriors and 76ers are in talks for a trade that would send forward Andre Iguodala to Golden State in exchange for guard Monta Ellis. The report stated that the trade is not imminent, but there have been discussions between the two sides.

This is a very interesting trade for both teams. I'll start with the Warriors.

The Warriors have wanted to get rid of Monta Ellis since they drafted Stephen Curry in the 2009 NBA Draft. Curry and Ellis haven't been able to find a great rhythm on the court in their two full seasons together in Golden State. If the Warriors were able to acquire Iguodala, they would drastically improve defensively, and would add a great play-maker offensively.

While Ellis is a play-maker, his specialty has always been and will always be scoring. Iguodala is going to distribute the ball and make plays for his teammates from the point-forward position like he has in Philadelphia during his career.

Now onto the Sixers. They badly need a No. 1 option offensively. Monta Ellis would easily fill that role, but there are a lot of things you have to factor in when acquiring a player like Ellis.

1. He will need to have the ball in his hands more than Iguodala did. Can Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner accept that and play with him while still continuing their growth?
2. Can Ellis defend well enough to play in Doug Collins' system?
3. Do the Sixers really get better with this trade?

If this deal were to happen, the Sixers would improve offensively. Having a go-to scorer like Ellis would help this team win a lot of close games, and would give them confidence down the stretch of those games.

Ellis' ability to draw a double-team will also lead to a ton of open looks for Holiday, Turner and Elton Brand. Holiday and Turner would have to alter their games and continue to improve off-ball if Monta were to be traded to Philadelphia. Jrue played SG at UCLA as a freshman, so he has had experience playing off-ball, but he struggled greatly.

Turner also struggled off-ball during his rookie year with the Sixers. If Doug can spread the ball equally between his three playmakers (Ellis, Holiday and Turner), then the Sixers could have a dangerous trio on their roster for years to come.

The biggest problem would be defensively. Iguodala is one of the best wing defenders in the NBA. He always has guarded the opponent's best offensive player. Losing his effort every night would be a serious blow to the Sixers, especially since Ellis has never been asked to play defense in his NBA career.

Because Ellis is shorter and thinner, Jrue Holiday would likely have to guard the opponent's shooting guard, as Monta guarded the point guard. Holiday is just 6'4", and could struggle against taller 2s although he is a very good defender. The Sixers were successful this year with 6'4" Jodie Meeks paired in the backcourt with Jrue, which could give management some hope that Jrue and Monta would be okay together.

Evan Turner would have to step up defensively and take on Iguodala's role as the team's defensive stopper. Turner played impressive defense on LeBron James in the first round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs, and if he can build off of that success, this trade might actually work for the Sixers.

If the Sixers were able to steal a future first round pick and Ekpe Udoh from the Warriors, while adding in a player such as Lou Williams, this would be a much more attractive deal for Philly. The Sixers are in desperate need of bigs, and Udoh would be a nice addition on top of Ellis' scoring ability.

This could be a great move for the Sixers, adding in that big scorer they've needed, but it could also set back the development of Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner. Both players are great with the ball in their hands, and Monta Ellis would require a lot of touches to get his 24 points per game. Doug Collins would have to make some big changes to the offense, but it could benefit this young Sixers team for the future.

While trading Iguodala in exchange for a big man could be more beneficial for the Sixers, they likely won't be able to get a player of Ellis' caliber. If this trade does go through and Monta Ellis becomes a member of the 76ers, expect a lot of excitement from the fans and the expectations to rise in Philadelphia.

Ana Beatriz Barros Maria Menounos Shakira Leslie Bibb Chelsea Handler