As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare for the official dawn of the Luka Doncic era, they must keep a close eye on potential trade target Keon Ellis. The Sacramento Kings wing is entering the final season of his current contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
If the Lakers are confident they can keep Ellis long-term, then trading for one of the best young 3-and-D wings in the NBA would be a no-brainer of an in-season move.
Ellis recently made waves when he informed reporters that he hasn't heard "much of anything" from the Kings in regard to a contract extension. That seemingly implies that he'll be an unrestricted free agent in 2026, thus enabling him to hypothetically sign with the Lakers.
For as true as that may be, Los Angeles has every reason to go all-in on acquiring Ellis during the 2025-26 season instead of waiting until next summer.
Ellis checks every box in terms of what the Lakers are missing from a backcourt player. He's a tenacious on-ball defender who fights over screens when working away from it, as well as an elite catch-and-shoot specialist who's already well-acquainted with playing alongside ball-dominant scorers and playmakers.
Compounded by the fact that he's still just 25 years of age, the Lakers must find a way to acquire Ellis and make him the long-term answer to their backcourt's defensive questions.
Lakers must go all-in on Keon Ellis as primary trade target in 2025-26
Ellis was an undrafted free agent in 2022 and has since worked his way into a consistent place in the Kings' rotation. In 2024-25, he played 24.4 minutes per game across 80 appearances, making his presence felt as a three-point shooter and defensive menace.
Ellis posted career-best averages of 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 1.7 three-point field goals made while shooting at an elite clip of .489/.433/.849.
For those concerned about sustainability, Ellis has shot 42.9 percent from beyond the arc across 153 NBA games played. All that truly increased in 2024-25 was the per-game volume with which he shot, which is more a result of an increase in playing time than anything else.
For perspective: Ellis averaged 5.9 three-point field goal attempts per 36 minutes in 2024-25, which was actually down from his mark of 6.2 in 2023-24.
Furthermore, Ellis' per-36 numbers reveal just how dynamic a player he is. In 2024-25, he averaged 12.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.1 offensive boards, 2.2 assists, 2.2 steals, 1.2 blocks, and 2.6 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes—numbers in line with his career marks of 12.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.2 offensive boards, 2.5 assists, 2.1 steals, 1.1 blocks, and 2.6 three-point field goals made.
Those last group of numbers epitomize his genius. In 2024-25, Ellis was the only player in the NBA to average at least 2.0 steals, 1.0 block, and 2.0 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.
Keon Ellis is the 3-and-D guard the Lakers need to contend
Ellis isn't just a 3-and-D wing who can provide ideal value. He's a true defensive playmaker, willing and able to create turnovers and redirect shots without sacrificing the necessary positioning to be a high-level team and on-ball defender.
For a Lakers team that ranked No. 23 in points off of turnovers in 2024-25, adding Ellis would introduce a new method for alleviating the offensive burden from Doncic.
In on-ball situations, Ellis epitomizes the fearlessness that the defensive greats need to succeed at their impossible jobs. That's exemplified by the fact that the four players he spent the most possessions defending in 2024-25 were James Harden, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Stephen Curry.
For a Lakers team that's currently preparing to task Doncic and Austin Reaves with guarding an opposing team's best backcourt player, Ellis could fuel a monumental improvement on defense.
The obvious hurdle in trading for Ellis is a matter of his contract. In addition to the fact that he'll be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2026, he's due to make just $2,301,587 this season—a low figure that will be difficult to match without taking back an additional salary.
The risk involved is worth embracing, however, as Ellis could prove to be a transformative addition for the Lakers in 2025-26 and beyond.