Kings sign Keon Ellis to 3-year deal

[Kingster]

Good theory!

They gotta figure out some drive and kick action with Foxy then, because Ellis has just been too good to not eventually take that starting position from Heurter - who has probably been our weakest link out there.

Would definitely make it easier if he could start hitting those DHO 3s though. I'm sure he's putting in the reps on that in practice.

Yes, that would make some sense. It seems like something in the offense has to change to incorporate some of these "defensive" players into the action. If the offense becomes more "Fox-centric" though I wonder how Sabonis fits into the picture?

 

[Tetsujin]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1767814403167322350

 

[ockingsfan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1767814403167322350

Let’s back up the talk Coach Brown and play Keon regular minutes every game! Keon deserves to be in the regular rotation every night!

Keon just Brings IT every time he steps on the floor!

 

[Caccia]

Let’s back up the talk Coach Brown and play Keon regular minutes every game! Keon deserves to be in the regular rotation every night!

Keon just Brings IT every time he steps on the floor!

Yeah, no more praising his effort on the court after one game, then sitting him the next!

Not for nothing, but Keon Ellis is 5-0 as a starter, to the best of my recollection.

 

[ockingsfan]

Yeah, no more praising his effort on the court after one game, then sitting him the next!

Not for nothing, but Keon Ellis is 5-0 as a starter, to the best of my recollection.

Yup, for a coach known as a "defensive minded coach" he sure seems to not value defensive player like Keon, Mitchell, Kessler Edwards as much as you would think. Maybe all those years of offense first in Golden State has changed his coaching philosophy.

 

[TaxMan]

I really wouldn’t be unhappy with Ellis starting ahead of Huerter. I know Huerter gives us the DHO shooting with Domas, but his shot is so hit or miss. Feels like starting ellis sets a tone defensively.

 

[funkykingston]

I really wouldn’t be unhappy with Ellis starting ahead of Huerter. I know Huerter gives us the DHO shooting with Domas, but his shot is so hit or miss. Feels like starting ellis sets a tone defensively.

I wouldn't mind Ellis starting instead of Barnes either. Move Huerter to the 3 where his foot speed is less of a liability on defense (and where Murray can take the bigger offensive threat between the opposing 3 & 4) and get Keon in as the starting SG.

Long term the Kings have three main guys (four if you count Monk - and I do) and they have to build around them. Upgrading from Barnes and/or Huerter has to be a focus.

 

[ockingsfan]

I would love to see Keon starting next to Fox, but it may not happen until next year.

The problem with benching Huerter (especially) or Barnes (less so) is that Huerter hasn't taken well to being demoted to the bench before and that would kill his confidence and therefore his trade value. HB seems like he would be more receptive to a bench role, but he has been pretty steady recently.

I think it's going to be a question of whether coach thinks Keon would give us a greater chance to win in the playoffs this year or not. If he doesn't think so, then it may be better to preserve Huerter and HB confidence and trade value, so we can use them to upgrade in the summer.

 

[The_Jamal]

I wouldn't mind Ellis starting instead of Barnes either. Move Huerter to the 3 where his foot speed is less of a liability on defense (and where Murray can take the bigger offensive threat between the opposing 3 & 4) and get Keon in as the starting SG.

Long term the Kings have three main guys (four if you count Monk - and I do) and they have to build around them. Upgrading from Barnes and/or Huerter has to be a focus.

Yeah, I don't think Huerter or HB are bad NBA starters by any means. I think the needs of our team have just drastically changed with Monk/Keegan developing into much better/higher USG offensive options. Last year, it was the Fox/Domas show and then a pile of like 6 dudes who all took turns having a big game and being the main 3rd or 4th guy for that game. This year, it's clearly Fox/Domas/Monk with Keegan a tier below and then everybody else fighting for whatever is left over.

We just can't have 40 mil tied into two redundant pieces in HB and Huerter. That money just has to be spent elsewhere (preferably, on defense), or even put into 1 player that's a talent upgrade. We're seeing it with Keon and Davion both playing great the last few weeks how important just putting good defenders on the floor is (assuming they can at least be passable offensively). Now imagine just having that money to be able to invest in quality defensive talent.

 

[SacTownKid]

I really wouldn’t be unhappy with Ellis starting ahead of Huerter. I know Huerter gives us the DHO shooting with Domas, but his shot is so hit or miss. Feels like starting ellis sets a tone defensively.

The other advantage with Ellis is he's a legit secondary ball handler. In his last summer league you could see all that handling ability potential and improvement. Fox, Monk, and Ellis can all basically run point or play off the ball.

 

[SacTownKid]

I would love to see Keon starting next to Fox, but it may not happen until next year.

The problem with benching Huerter (especially) or Barnes (less so) is that Huerter hasn't taken well to being demoted to the bench before and that would kill his confidence and therefore his trade value. HB seems like he would be more receptive to a bench role, but he has been pretty steady recently.

I think it's going to be a question of whether coach thinks Keon would give us a greater chance to win in the playoffs this year or not. If he doesn't think so, then it may be better to preserve Huerter and HB confidence and trade value, so we can use them to upgrade in the summer.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Brown again shift non performing players from his main rotational minutes come playoff time again if things aren't flowing or particular needs are there.

 

[sono]

Surprisingly his FG is over 50% lately, it's swept under the rug because of his low-volume shooting with 3.6 FGA. We might have another 3D player in a year or two if he keeps that up. He has shown flashes of pin-point passing skills in traffic and all above shooting/passing could develop well with regular minutes.

 

[Tetsujin]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1768139268747391240

 

[Section 101]

Surprisingly his FG is over 50% lately, it's swept under the rug because of his low-volume shooting with 3.6 FGA. We might have another 3D player in a year or two if he keeps that up. He has shown flashes of pin-point passing skills in traffic and all above shooting/passing could develop well with regular minutes.

It's not surprising, he's the 2nd best shooter on the team behind Sasha.

 

[The Effort Police]

The other advantage with Ellis is he's a legit secondary ball handler. In his last summer league you could see all that handling ability potential and improvement. Fox, Monk, and Ellis can all basically run point or play off the ball.

He has two advantages over Davion in my mind.

Number one, he's not a (really) poor man's De'aaron Fox offensively. Davion is really a lead guard who needs the ball in his hands and has a history of stopping ball. "Secondary" is key here.

Two, he's actually a legit sized SG.

Either way, I do think both Huerter and Barnes but especially Huerter hard caps your defense. We just haven't figured out a way to solve that without trading off the offense in the process (Davion), or potential replacements are worse defenders (Vezenkov).

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1768139268747391240

That's a good way of saying it, that his defense "is not normal". His hands seem to get into places where hardly anybody else's do, along with really good body positioning. An uncommon talent

 

[dude12]

Keon was a nice get by the middle manager GM

 

[Tetsujin]

Keon was a nice get by the middle manager GM

BuT hE tRaDeD bOtH oUr 2rPs In ThAt DrAfT!

 

[midtowner]

Keon is the only dude that really talks on defense. He organizes other players (gets them in the right spots), and touches every offensive player near him (marking them and slowing them). So it’s not a straight - who is better (Keon or Huerter). It’s that the Kings need a defensive floor general.

If Keon’s offense was a detriment - different story - but he is good at spacing the floor and keeping the ball moving (and there are not many shots available in the starting line up for our 2 guard anyway).

Don’t worry about Huerter’s confidence. He’ll be able to get a lot of touches in lineups with Len and be more of a focal point when he plays (if he’s hot he plays more, if he’s not he plays less). Dude has a proven track record and his trade value is pretty static.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

BuT hE tRaDeD bOtH oUr 2rPs In ThAt DrAfT!

It's still a small sample size, but right now with 581 minutes in his NBA career Keon has stacked up very nicely against the second rounders in his draft.

He leads the entire second round in Box Plus/Minus at 0.5 (no player in the second round is positive, but to be fair only four players in the first round are positive, so this may have something to do with Ellis playing more time with the starters).

He trails only Jaylin Williams from the second round in VORP (0.5 to 0.4).

No player from the second round is better in both total Win Shares (1.3) AND WS/48 (.105).

 

[Warhawk]

 

[ockingsfan]

View attachment 12495

How ironic DC is his coach too. Keon Ellis totally gives me Doug Christie vibes.

Keon is the type of player that is so cerebral, you know he’s going to make the right read on the ball on both defense and offense when he is on the court.

 

[Tetsujin]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1768291548494811350

 

[LPKingsFan]

View attachment 12495

That Christie stat is pretty impressive, no?

 

[captain bill]

Surprisingly his FG is over 50% lately, it's swept under the rug because of his low-volume shooting with 3.6 FGA. We might have another 3D player in a year or two if he keeps that up. He has shown flashes of pin-point passing skills in traffic and all above shooting/passing could develop well with regular minutes.

Him and Keegan long term could be ferocious as our top 2 defenders. Domas also looks a lot better as the last line of defense when guys are having to work harder to get to the cup. His defense hasn't always looked great but looked vastly improved over the last 2 games. Maybe spending less energy overall and being allowed to focus solely as a rim protector made his job a lot easier

 

[ESP47]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1768291548494811350

That play where he completely blew up DLo only to have Jaxson score on the loose ball was a thing of beauty. What a menace. No wonder DLo couldn't get anything going last night.

 

[gunks]

That Fox quote about his ability to guard being "Not normal" is hilarious.

Like, he's not saying it's good or even great... It's borderline X-Files.

Definitely was thinking the same thing last night. Keon just has the full package of IQ, effort, reflexes, and freaky anticipation.

I'm sure Kevin will get his starting spot back this season, but I don't think it's a stretch to think Keon may end up getting more minutes/finishing more games by the end of the season. His impact is undeniable.

 

[NiNetNiNe]

Him and Keegan long term could be ferocious as our top 2 defenders. Domas also looks a lot better as the last line of defense when guys are having to work harder to get to the cup. His defense hasn't always looked great but looked vastly improved over the last 2 games. Maybe spending less energy overall and being allowed to focus solely as a rim protector made his job a lot easier

Fox, Ellis, and Keegan would make one hell of a defensive line. If we got a defensive PF that can shoot threes then we would be a pretty monstrous defensive starting unit.

 

[hrdboild]

View attachment 12495

I guess Doug was my favorite of the C-Webb era Kings for a reason!

 

[Caccia]

Keon Ellis is what player development looks like, starting from day one. Each member of the Kings has an individual coach. I wonder who has been guiding Ellis?