After being inactive for two games last weekend due to a minor knee issue, Kings guard Keon Ellis has missed two more contests this week as a DNP-CD. Still, that hasn’t diminished league-wide interest in Ellis on the trade market.
League and team sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic that there are approximately 10 teams in the mix for Ellis, with a deal expected to happen on or before the February 5 trade deadline. Sacramento is seeking a late first-round pick for the fourth-year guard, per Amick’s sources.
While the Kings have no shortage of trade candidates on their roster, Ellis is the one who has generated the most interest to this point, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic said on Thursday. Vecenie observes that the 26-year-old has a limited offensive skill set and doesn’t have the size necessary to stop bigger wings and forwards, but his energetic backcourt defense and solid outside shot provide real value.
Here are a few more items of interest from Amick’s latest NBA rumor round-up:
- The Warriors haven’t shown any interest in veteran forward DeMar DeRozan to this point, a Kings source tells Amick. DeRozan has been cited as a possible target for Golden State in the wake of Jimmy Butler‘s season-ending ACL tear, but it sounds like that’s just speculation right now and isn’t consistent with the options the Warriors are actually pursuing.
- After reporting in December that the Wizards, Suns, and Bulls have had interest in Domantas Sabonis in the past, Amick reiterated that point today. However, he acknowledges that the Raptors appear to be the most legitimate suitor for the Kings center at this point. Toronto has been connected to Sabonis by multiple reporters throughout the season, with Jake Fischer stating on Thursday that the Raptors maintain their interest in the big man.
- Like Ian Begley of SNY.tv, Amick hears that the Knicks haven’t engaged in any trade talks about big man Karl-Anthony Towns, despite one report to the contrary. The expectation, Amick writes, is that New York will focus on getting the most out of Towns in Mike Brown‘s system rather than looking to move him when his value has dipped a little.
I’m not necessarily a DeMar DeRozan fan. I’ve bashed him in the past for not taking Toronto further in the playoffs when teamed with Kyle Lowry for all those years. To me he was never a championship caliber shooting guard.
But now at this point in his career and the Warriors needs, I like him for Golden State.
They need guys who can get a bucket and take some pressure off of Curry. DeRozan is that guy right now even years later and slowing down a bit.
DeRozan is a good player but if you are looking to contend for titles, he’s not that guy. He’s a hooper but a guy who doesn’t show up in the spring time when it counts, Warriors can do better.