Within a look at potential Lakers trade targets, Dan Woike of The Athletic reports that league sources believe the current asking price for Kings guard Keon Ellis is a protected first-round pick.
Ellis, who will turn 26 next month, has a reputation as a solid defender, is a career 41.8% three-point shooter, and is earning just $2.3MM in 2025/26, making him an appealing option for teams not well positioned from a cap perspective to acquire a player on a larger contract.
However, there’s not a consensus on Ellis’ value, according to Woike.
One league source who spoke to The Athletic referred to the fourth-year guard as “maybe the most divisive player in the league,” pointing out that rival scouts are high on him but neither Mike Brown nor Doug Christie has been comfortable leaning on him consistently in Sacramento. After starting 28 games and averaging 24.4 minutes per game last season, Ellis has made two starts and averaged 17.6 MPG in 2025/26.
As Woike explains, some skeptics believe Ellis’ defensive skill set is more suited to generating turnovers than to actually slowing down opposing offensive offensive players, while others have reservations about his size and ability to hold his own against bigger guards.
It’s also worth noting that Ellis will reach unrestricted free agency in July if he doesn’t sign an extension before then (he’ll become eligible on February 9), so a team acquiring him would risk losing him for nothing during the 2026 offseason.
Still, Woike believes Ellis is one of the possibilities being considered by the Lakers, who could badly use another defensive-minded player in their rotation. Pelicans forward Herbert Jones, Heat forward Andrew Wiggins, Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr., Nets guard Terance Mann, Hornets wing Josh Green, and Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu are among the other potential targets Woike mentions, though he cautions that not all of them will be available, especially for a price the Lakers would be comfortable meeting.
Los Angeles only has one tradable first-round pick (in either 2031 or 2032) and one movable second-rounder (2032). The team could also offer a handful of first-round pick swaps. The trade value of Dalton Knecht, a 2024 first-rounder, has slipped since last season, as he has fallen out of JJ Redick‘s regular rotation this fall.
I disagree to a point. Mike Brown and Doug Christie, didn’t feel comfortable in giving Keon, extended minutes ?? Well, it’s kinda hard to play a $2.3m a yr player extended minutes, when you have to force a player making $40m+ per yr on the bench !! Until you can get rid of 2 or 3 of them overpriced Players, it’s NOT going to happen !!
I think you should build the team around, Keegan and Keon and trade everyone else.
Add Maxime Raynaud to the Keegan and Keon Mix !! Why does this site Have to have a timer on edits ?? It’s BS !!
Good call with Reynaud. In a disgracefully bad season, he’s at least shown they have a future at centre if they move on from Sabonis.
Yes, what a surprise Raynaud is !! Coming from Stanford, I for one didn’t expect much out of a Quentin Post wanna be.
But he’s actually stepped up and performed very well. I definitely had my doubts.
I think Knickerbocker Al was high on this guy and of course I blasted him for it. Turns out that so far he’s right. Great call.
Those are fair concerns regarding Keon, but no one is suggesting he is an All-Defensive level player. And he’s certainly a good enough defender and shooter to have seen the floor way more over the last couple of years for a team which has been desperate for spacing and defense. It also couldn’t hurt getting him into an organization which actually knows how to utilize his skillset properly.
He doesn’t have enough size or elite skill to keep him afloat as a starter moving forward in this league. He is a bench piece on a bad team. Pure depth.
Could be a bench piece on many teams but your are right nothing says he is a starter. This is the same Kings GM that wouldn’t give up a 1st round pick for Kuminga. Sounds like the GM is trying to fool somebody in driving up his price.
Even a broken clock… kings are lost and confused but I guess even they aren’t stupid enough to waste a FRP on kuminga
Kuminga is more valuable than Ellis at this time with way much more potential. Kings need to do a rebuild and hange on to Ellis and instead trade away their old players just to get rid of payroll.
Sacramento won’t play the guy yet I’m sure they’re asking for a first, lols.
This guy would flourish right team right role.
I don’t know him well enough to decide. He might be worth a late #1 to right team. A team that needs D and depth at guard. He is probably better off staying with Kings. Kings should be more concerned about moving DeM, Schroder, Monk, even Zach. Although Zach next yr becomes an expiring contract. Should be easier to move then. Makes more sense to keep Ellis and pay him.
The Kings must think every GM in the league is stupid that he is worth a 1st round protected pick. If he was that good the Kings would never trade him since they are in a rebuild mode and need young players. None of his stats so far shows him as a starting player in the NBA a bench player but not starter. So why such a high price? Kings need defense so he can’t be l elite defensive if a team with poor defense wants to trade him.
Not on the court man….Kings D is better when Ellis is getting burn. I’d take him at Boston in the off season if not moved, FOR SURE.
If Ellis is that good why would the Kings even think about trading him is my point.
Because there’s a ton of interest in him. Of course they’re going to aim high and let the price come down from there.
And you’re giving the Kings way too much credit here across the board. This is the same team that gave away Davion Mitchell for nothing. As long as Vivek is calling the shots nothing they do will make sense.
I don’t know, I still think if he gets on a good team he can have a Caruso like impact. He is small, but the right organization with good trainers can possibly add some muscle on him.
Nickeil Alexander Walker got buried on a few teams before the Wolves gave him a shot, and he excelled. I think Ellis will be a solid role player for a while, possibly a better Kris Dunn.
An average defender