Before the NBA trade deadline, Keon Ellis was one of the most intriguing names on the market. It put him out of the Los Angeles Lakers' range of what could reasonably be mustered up for a trade with the Sacramento Kings. Things have changed quite significantly since that time.
The Kings were once rumored to be seeking a first-round pick for Ellis' services. That price was too steep for the Lakers. Although, that was true of the league as a whole as the Kings settled for getting De'Andre Hunter and dumping Dennis Schroder's contract to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After a hot start with his new team, Ellis quickly gained Kenny Atkinson's trust down the stretch for the Cavaliers. His defense was a known quantity, and the offensive variables that come with the tenacious stopper looked good. The latter part of that equation did not last.
Ellis' offensive limitations became painfully clear from the get-go in the Cavaliers' first-round matchup against the Toronto Raptors. After only scoring three points in his first four games of the series, Ellis lost his spot in the rotation. That suddenly puts him back in play for the Lakers during the summer.
Keon Ellis is becoming an affordable buy-low target for the Lakers
When the Cavaliers acquired Ellis, that came with an expectation of being on the hook for his next contract. The Cavs guard is set to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026 upon the expiration of his current deal. Does Cleveland wanna pay up for someone who got lost in the playoff shuffle?
It is still early in the postseason and Ellis could work himself back into the rotation for the Cavaliers. However, it will be an uphill battle as Cleveland is not exactly short of quality options, who are deserving of minutes, ahead of him.
Considering the Cavaliers will be trying to navigate around the second apron when the offseason arrives, Ellis could easily just turn into a half-season rental for them. That could be Rob Pelinka's cue.
With an offseason makeover looming, the Lakers will want defenders and floor-spacers around Luka Doncic for the foreseeable future. Ellis definitely fits the first part. The second half of that is where Los Angeles would be forced to gamble a bit with the soon-to-be free agent.
Luckily for the Lakers, that roll of the dice could prove to be far less expensive than it once could have been. If what the playoffs have shown so far holds, a multi-year deal for Ellis will not be something teams are eager to throw at the defensive playmaker.
The likelier path for Ellis is a one-year, prove-it deal with his next franchise. What better stage is there for that type of contract than Los Angeles?
The massive market offered by the Lakers has previously helped players like Malik Monk secure paydays. Ellis could join his former Kings teammate in that regard, should he perform up to par.
A quick weighing of the risk-reward in this situation has the scales tipping favorably in the Lakers' direction. Ellis could be cheap, eager to prove himself, and exactly what the team needs around Doncic.
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