Keon Ellis is on the move-and he’s headed to a contender. The 26-year-old guard, who spent the last three seasons with the Sacramento Kings, was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team deal announced Saturday night.
It's a fresh chapter for Ellis, who’s entering the final year of a team-friendly contract that pays him $2.3 million of a $5.1 million deal. He’s also eligible for a contract extension this month, though he could hit unrestricted free agency this offseason.
Ellis had drawn interest from multiple teams leading up to the trade deadline, with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers emerging as the most aggressive suitors. In the end, it was the Cavs who pulled the trigger, adding a versatile two-way guard to a team already in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Cleveland enters the week sitting fifth in the East with a 30-21 record, and the addition of Ellis gives them another athletic perimeter defender who can knock down shots and contribute on both ends. It’s a smart move for a Cavs squad that’s quietly building momentum and looking to solidify their rotation ahead of the postseason grind.
As for Ellis, his reaction to the trade was understated but telling. On Instagram, he acknowledged the Kings’ farewell post with a simple, casual comment-nothing flashy, but it carried the tone of a player ready to embrace his next opportunity. After three years in Sacramento, Ellis now joins a deeper, more experienced roster in Cleveland, where expectations are higher and the spotlight a little brighter.
The move also leaves the Lakers in a bit of a bind. They had been eyeing Ellis as a potential solution to their issues with three-point shooting and perimeter defense-two areas that have plagued them throughout the season. But with Ellis off the board, L.A. is forced to pivot, and quickly.
One name that’s surfaced as a possible Plan B: Daniel Gafford. The Dallas big man has shown strong chemistry with Luka Doncic, and while he wouldn’t address the Lakers’ backcourt needs, he could bolster their frontcourt depth and rim protection. With the trade deadline fast approaching, the Lakers are running out of time-and options.
For now, though, the spotlight is on Ellis and the Cavaliers. It’s a low-risk, high-upside move for Cleveland, and for Ellis, it’s a chance to prove he can be a difference-maker on a playoff-caliber team.