Sacramento is signaling a high price for Keon Ellis as the NBA trade deadline approaches.
League sources told journalist Marc Stein that the Kings are asking for a first-round draft pick in any deal involving the 23-year-old guard. Multiple front offices reportedly consider Ellis one of the most likely players to be moved before the Feb. 5 cutoff.
Ellis has not secured a consistent spot in coach Mike Brown’s rotation this season, yet rival teams are said to value his perimeter defense, energy and potential as a low-usage, high-impact backcourt option. Interest has intensified despite limited minutes.
Sacramento is expected to be active ahead of the deadline, and executives around the league believe a trade centered on Ellis is more probable than not. For the Kings, dealing the undrafted second-year guard represents a direct path to additional draft capital or roster flexibility.
With the market set, the question now appears to be when—rather than if—Sacramento will move Ellis.
Source: Hoops Wire
