Hooped Up

On Day 1 of the post-Stephen Jackson era, the Warriors found a way to replace their top soap-operatic story line as rumors swirled before Tuesday’s 114-108 loss to Cleveland that the team is shopping Monta Ellis.

According to unnamed sources in multiple reports, Ellis could be the next disgruntled player to get traded by Golden State. Coach Don Nelson denied a similar report last week, and general manager Larry Riley on Tuesday said that the reports were “making too much” of a potential meeting with Ellis’ agent, Jeff Fried.
San Fransisco Chronicle

Pops Mensah-Bonsu is returning to the Raptors. Toronto claimed the forward, who signed with the Raptors as a free agent on March 6, 2009, off waivers on Tuesday.

Mensah-Bonsu averaged 5.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 13.8 minutes in 19 games with Toronto, but signed with Houston this past off-season. He was waived by the Rockets on Friday. He will be paid the prorated version of the NBA veteran minimum deal as his contract doesn’t become guaranteed until mid-December.
Globe & Mail

Newly-acquired Raja Bell told The Chronicle on Tuesday that he will have wrist surgery, a decision that adds to the Warriors’ injury woes and could cost the guard the rest of the season.

Bell, who was picked up from Charlotte in the Stephen Jackson trade Monday, will go back east for surgery to repair a partially torn ligament in his left wrist. He’ll miss four or five weeks if the wrist is in decent shape and probably the rest of the season if screws are needed for the repair.

“I’m going into it, assuming it will be a big surgery,” Bell said. “If I wake up and it’s not, it’s icing on the cake. I’m prepared for the worst-case scenario, and I’ll go from there.

Bell could join Kelenna Azubuike (knee) and Brandan Wright (shoulder), who have been lost for the season.
San Fransisco Chronicle