The Brooklyn Nets may have found a bargain in Keon Ellis.
Brooklyn reached agreement with the 26-year-old guard early in free agency on a two-year, $18 million contract that includes a mutual option for the second season. It’s one of the more interesting moves the Nets have made this offseason, and it comes with the kind of price tag that could look friendly fast if Ellis delivers.
Ellis is entering his fifth season in the league after spending the first three and a half years of his career in Sacramento. His role grew in a noticeable way with the Kings, especially in the 2023-24 season when he made 21 starts. He took another step in his third year, appearing in 80 games and starting 28, which put him on the radar as a player other teams wanted to get involved in their rotation.
That eventually led him to Cleveland at the deadline last season, but the fit never really opened up the way he probably wanted. The Cavaliers had plenty of depth and star power in the backcourt, and Ellis didn’t leave much of an imprint during his time there.
Brooklyn is banking on a different outcome, and there’s a familiar face in the mix. Ellis is reuniting with Jordi Fernandez, who was an assistant in Sacramento during Ellis’ first two NBA seasons. That connection matters, especially for a guard whose calling card is defense.
Ellis averaged 1.2 steals last season and 1.5 steals the year before, and that kind of perimeter disruption is exactly the sort of thing Brooklyn has been searching for. If he can bring that edge into the Nets’ system, he could carve out a meaningful role right away.
The offense is the swing skill. Ellis has shown flashes, even if his scoring has been uneven overall.
He posted a 70.6% mark from inside the arc in 29 games with Cleveland to close last season, though that number is not likely to hold. What Brooklyn will be watching most closely is the shot from deep, where Ellis owns a 40.7% career mark from 3-point range despite a down year in 2025-26.
At $9 million per season, the Nets don’t need Ellis to be a star for this to work. They need his defense to travel and his offense to settle in enough to make him a useful piece. If that happens, this deal could end up looking like a steal.
In Other News...
Nets Just Made A Move That Could Change This Rebuild
Brooklyns rebuild just picked up a very different kind of wrinkle, one that adds both heft and proven scoring to a roster still trying to find its offensive identity. Julius Randle arrives with years of NBA experience and a style that can change the tone of a possession, especially for a team that has leaned heavily on youth and development while searching for more reliable half-court answers.
The fit is obvious on paper because Randle can create pressure on the rim, draw contact and give the Nets a steadier source of offense than theyve had at times this season. He also brings something a young locker room usually needs in a rebuild: a veteran presence who has been through different team contexts and can help accelerate the growth of Brooklyns next wave, even as the larger roster picture continues to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Marks Just Pushed The Nets Deeper Into A Defining Reset
Brooklyns offseason reset took another sharp turn when the front office used the No. 6 pick on guard Mikel Brown Jr. and then kept reshaping the roster around him. The Nets re-signed Josh Minott, DayRon Sharpe and Chaney Johnson, exercised Malachi Smiths team option, and added free agents Keon Ellis and Mo Wagner, all while declining options on Ziaire Williams, Ochai Agbaji and Jalen Wilson to keep the roster fluid.
The bigger swing came in the trade market, where Brooklyn brought in Julius Randle and also picked up another first-round selection, then used that No. 28 pick on Joshua Jefferson. With cap space still available and more free-agent shopping possible, Sean Marks has left the Nets with a young draft class, a reshaped supporting cast and one major unanswered question about how far this reset is going to go. [Read more 🡒]