Big win for the Kings — they’ve decided to keep Keon Ellis around, and at a bargain price, too. Sacramento picked up the team option on Ellis’ contract, locking him in for just $2.3 million next season. For a guy who’s turning into a serious two-way threat, that’s an absolute steal.
Ellis just wrapped up his best NBA season yet, putting up 8.3 points, 2.7 boards, 1.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game over 80 appearances. He started 28 times and played nearly 25 minutes a night. Oh, and he was lights out from deep — he hit 43.3% of his threes, good for 8th-best in the entire league, and he had more than double the steals of any other Kings player with 121 swipes on the year.
The best part? His salary next season ranks 311th among NBA players — that’s wild value for someone producing at his level. If the Kings had let him hit free agency, they would’ve risked another team swooping in with a big offer, but now he’ll stay in Sacramento at a team-friendly number.
It’s a cool story for Ellis, who went undrafted in 2022 after two years at Alabama and started his pro career bouncing between the Kings and their G League team. But by year two, he was a full-time NBA player, and now he’s earned his spot as a key piece in Sacramento’s rotation.
Bottom line: Keon Ellis is locked in for at least another year, and the Kings have one of the league’s best bargains on their hands.
Sacramento Locks Up Ellis for Peanuts After Breakout Year
