http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_1059 ... ck_check=1Warriors guard Monta Ellis joined his team for the first time since severely injuring his left ankle last month. He even spoke with the media after the first practice session Monday.Ellis declined to comment about his potential punishment from the Warriors for being injured during a prohibited activity and then lying about it. He also wouldn't talk about anything involving how he injured himself and what he told the team. His agent, Jeff Fried, is scheduled to meet with Warriors management Oct. 8. At that point, Ellis said he would be able to explain himself. "We'll address it next week when my agent speaks with the team," Ellis told reporters. "I want to tell you, but we just have to wait it out and see what they say. When it's time for me to address it, then I'll address it."
Ellis was cleared to talk about his recovery. His left foot was in a cast covered by a sock. He said he still can't put any pressure on it, though surgery to repair his torn deltoid ligament was more than a month ago. He rode around the gym on a four-wheel scooter designed to prevent him from walking on his bad foot. The cart even had a lunch basket in the front, which he filled with bottled water, fruit and a protein bar. "Good to see Monta," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "I asked him if that was the motorcycle he fell off of." The San Francisco Chronicle last week reported that Ellis was injured in a moped accident. Ellis said he is making good progress in his recovery, but he wouldn't put a time frame on his return. The plan of action, according to the team, is for Ellis' ankle to be immobilized for six weeks, followed by six weeks of rehabilitation and an evaluation. Per that schedule, the rehabilitation phase is expected to begin at some point next week. Despite what he expects to be a grueling rehab, he said he doesn't share the concerns about whether he'll fully recover. He even proclaimed that he, once again, will be the fastest player in the NBA, as he boasted in a television commercial for And1, the shoe company he endorses. "With this type of injury and what I had to go through," Ellis said, "it will probably take a little bit longer and really cause (me) not to come back too soon. I've never dealt with (this injury). But, like I said, the team, Chris (Mullin, the Warriors' executive vice president of basketball operations), everybody in the organization, has been with me 100 percent. We all feel good about it and just move forward. "I know it's going to be hard," he added. "No one said it was going to be easy. But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get back 100 percent to help this team win."
His lying to the team about what happened apparently hasn't eroded his standing with the franchise. He still could be fined or suspended, but members of the organization all expressed happiness about his being back around the team. Ellis spent practice sitting with Mullin. Afterward, he scooted back and forth across the gym, laughing and chatting with his old and new teammates, confirming reports from members of the organization that he's in good spirits. "It's been great," Ellis said of his relationship with the franchise. "Everybody's being on task, everybody stayed in contact, everybody's on the same page, everybody wants to get past this. You know, they want me back on the court, but at the same time they want me to be 100 percent. So it's been good. They've been supportive and that's what I needed and that's why the process is going the way it's going, so smoothly. They've been terrific."
