After a one-year stint with the Lakers, the 27-year-old Ellington finds himself on his sixth team in seven years. The 6-4, 200-pound shooting guard, signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Nets this offseason in the hopes of extending his career. In 65 games last season, he averaged 10.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.4 three-pointers. He shot a respectable 37 percent from three-point territory and 41 percent from the field. Ellington is a solid contributor and is a good locker room guy. Coach Lionel Hollins has previous experience coaching him when Ellington was with the Grizzlies. Hollins has openly said that he has confidence in Ellington as a professional and his consistent desire and effort to win ball games. Barring any injuries, Ellington should carve out a modest role with Bojan Bogdanovic as his biggest competition for playing time at shooting guard. Ellington has always been a consistent shooter from distance, averaging 38 percent for his career. He will be called upon regularly to offer relief in spacing either from drive-and-kick situations in the offense or kick-outs from the post when Brook Lopez has the ball. The Nets are weird, so anything is possible with Ellington this season, but even if he gets big minutes, the only category Ellington performs in at a better-than-average rate is three-pointers.

Ellington spent last season buried on the Mavericks' bench, averaging just 3.2 points and 1.0 rebound in a career-low (by far) nine minutes per game. He was traded to the Knicks – along with Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert, and Shane Larkin – in June, only to be shipped to Sacramento a month later. The former North Carolina star has struggled to find his niche in the league since entering as a first-round pick in 2009. After three mostly underwhelming years in Minnesota, Ellington bounced from Memphis to Cleveland to Dallas over the next two seasons. Outside of his 38-game cameo with the Cavs in 2012-13, during which he averaged 10.4 points on 44-percent shooting, Ellington hasn't displayed much consistency. He's just a 42-percent shooter for his career and is close to being typecast as a three-point specialist. To his credit, he's one of the better outside shooters in the league (42 percent last season), but the question is whether he'll have enough opportunities to make an impact. Ben McLemore and rookie Nik Stauskas are firmly ahead of Ellington on the depth chart, and he'll likely be relegated to a fringe-rotational role.

Known for his defense, Ellington will be something of a specialist for Dallas. Coach Rick Carlisle has had success using other players in a similar role, particularly DeShawn Stevenson, but Ellington will have to earn minutes in a suddenly crowded backcourt. He does have more experience than the crop of rookies, but it doesn't guarantee productivity.

The Grizzlies traded for Ellington over the summer, and he should be used as an offensive boost off the bench with O.J. Mayo departed to free agency. That boost will depend on Ellington’s shooting from beyond the arc being closer to the 40 percent from his first two seasons rather than his 32.4 percent from last year. He should start the season as Tony Allen’s backup at the two, but he could tumble down the depth chart if the three’s do not fall.

Minnesota had hoped Ellington could provide Minnesota with a consistent three-point threat off the bench. While his three-point shooting has been above average (39.7 percent last season), it's not elite. He'll likely have a limited role this season again.

The most outstanding player of the 2009 Final Four was supposed to give Minnesota an outside shooter, but he shot just 39.5 percent from behind the arc in his rookie season. He's buried on the depth chart at either shooting guard or small forward, but at least on the Timberwolves it's possible for him to win more minutes if he improves.

The most outstanding player of the 2009 Final Four could fill Minnesota's need for an outside shooter. He'll get a chance to win minutes at shooting guard or small forward on the wide open roster, but will likely start the season as the third or fourth option off the bench. Still, he's got some sleeper potential.