Keon Ellis first gained Mike Brown’s trust through his defensive activity. On a team with little defensive talent, Ellis provided a nice change of pace. He’s big, has long arms and quick hands, moves his feet, navigates screens incredibly well and never gives up a possession.
This is exactly what Coach Brown wants to see from his guards. His defensive talent and ability to knock down open jumpers earned him minutes, a standard NBA contractand now a starting spot on a potential playoff team.
This season has already been a dream come true for Ellis, but there is more to come.
Ellis played heavy minutes most of the month, taking some of Kevin Huerter’s minutes even before the injury. Over 11 games played in March, Ellis recorded a total of 23 steals and 10 blocks and helped completely redefine the Kings’ defensive identity.
The Kings have been a mediocre defense all season long, but March was very different, with the exception of the loss to Washington. With a defensive rating of 109.0, Sacramento currently ranks fourth in the league over the last 12 games. It’s a huge improvement, and Ellis has been at the forefront of the change.
Kevin Huerter’s unfortunate injury against Memphis raised offensive concerns. Missing him and Trey Lyles for an extended period of time means a lot of firepower is sitting on the bench.
In the home stretch of the playoff race, the Kings cannot afford to struggle offensively. Keegan Murray and Harrison Barnes have done their best to fill the void, and yesterday Ellis stepped in as well.
In the presence of his mother, grandmother and brother in Orlando, he scored 19 points on 4-9 threes, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 1 block, including some of the most big free throws from his young NBA. career. He was looking for his shots and his production allowed the team to survive a terrible scoring game from Malik Monk.
It was easily one of his best offensive games of the season and promised great things for the Kings.
The Kings have sought 3-D production on the wing throughout the season. Keon Ellis may not be who they expected, but here we are. The youngster is starting to look like a real two-way threat and this is a real game-changer for the Kings.
First of all, it can allow the team to hopefully survive Huerter’s injury. Second, it completely changes the lineups Mike Brown can play. At the start of the season, it was always Ellis or Davion Mitchell. Now, with both producing offensively, they can play together and form a threatening defensive backcourt.
In the long run, Ellis’ emergence could also make potentially losing Kevin Huerter or Davion Mitchell in trades over the summer less painful. The Kings don’t need him to score 20 points every game, but they do need him to be a threat every time he steps on the court.
If he can do that while still playing occasional games like last night, he’ll be a great addition to the Kings’ future on an incredibly cheap contract.
Following. 4 teams that could steal Malik Monk from the Kings over the summer. 4 teams that could steal Malik Monk from the Kings over the summer. dark
