Kings pursue Kings guard Keon Ellis as Sacramento seeks protected first-round pick
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The Los Angeles Lakers are evaluating trade options on the wing and have zeroed in on Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis, league sources told Dan Woike of The Athletic.
According to those sources, Sacramento is currently asking for a protected first-round pick in exchange for the fourth-year guard. That valuation underscores how sharply opinions differ on Ellis across the league.
Ellis, 24, appeals to front offices because he defends the ball aggressively, owns a career 41.8 percent mark from three-point range and is owed just $2.3 million next season—an attractive figure for a cap-constrained club such as Los Angeles.
Yet his role in Sacramento has fluctuated. After making 28 starts a season ago, the 6-foot-3 guard has opened only two games this year and is averaging fewer than 18 minutes per night. One source described Ellis to The Athletic as “maybe the most divisive player in the league,” reflecting the split between scouts who appreciate his disruptive defense and coaches who question whether he has the size to hold up consistently.
There is also contractual risk. If Ellis and the Kings do not agree to an extension by Feb. 9, he can enter unrestricted free agency in July, leaving any acquiring team vulnerable to losing him for nothing.
Even so, the Lakers remain engaged while surveying additional defensive targets. With limited draft capital and reduced outside interest in rookie guard Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles is weighing whether Ellis is worth its most valuable remaining assets.
Source: Hoops Wire
