NBA: Warriors suspend guard Monta Ellis

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- The NBA's Golden State Warriors have suspended guard Monta Ellis for 30 games without pay for violating his player contract.

Recently, the rising 22-year-old star underwent successful surgery on his left ankle following a "low-speed" moped accident in late August in Jackson, Miss., his hometown.

Riding a moped is prohibited under the uniform player contract, which means the Warriors can tear up the six-year, $66 million contract extension Ellis signed this offseason.

The San Jose Mercury News reported last week Ellis originally told team officials he injured the ankle in a pickup basketball game.

The Warriors' second-round pick in 2005 will be available to return to the team following the Dec. 17 game at Indiana.

"The cooperation that we received from (Ellis' representative) Jeff Fried enabled us to be very diligent in collecting all of the facts surrounding the incident," Warriors president Robert Rowell said in a statement. "This suspension is a result of that."

Last season, Ellis averaged career-high 20.2 points per game.