The Mavericks will have to retool their roster, almost in its entirety, once again this summer. Before they can begin their efforts in earnest, they have to deal with the elephant in the room: Monta Ellis. Everything hinges on whether the mercurial shooting guard chooses to exercise his player option to stay with the team, making almost $9 million next season, or test the waters of free agency in search of a bigger paycheck. He has until June 24th to make that decision.

Most expect Ellis to opt out and look for a raise. However, according to ESPN Dallas' Tim MacMahon, the Mavericks likely won't be opening their coffers to accommodate him:

Ellis should not anticipate that raise coming from the Mavs, who would rather move on than make a major long-term investment in a one-dimensional player whose moodiness and selfishness negatively impacted the team's chemistry last season, according to source's with knowledge of the front office's thought process.

MacMahon goes onto explain the reasoning behind wanting to break ties with Ellis is due to the future role of Chandler Parsons. Parsons has stated on multiple occasions that he wants to play a significant role with the Mavericks. As long as Ellis is on the roster, Parsons may never see his opportunities blossom because of Ellis' ball-dominant habits.

Ellis has been a good player, if one dimensional, in his two seasons in Dallas. He led the team in scoring last season. While Ellis still holds all the cards, it appears that the Mavs would rather see him fold.