30Q: Can Keon Ellis crack the rotation?

Originally posted on The Kings Herald | By Greg Wissinger | Last updated 9/28/22

Keon Ellis enters his rookie year on a two-way contract with the Sacramento Kings, allowing him an opportunity to bounce back and forth between Sacramento and the Stockton Kings. Expectations are generally low for two-way players, and they rarely see significant minutes with the main club unless there's a slew of injuries ahead of them. And yet we've seen many teams unearth hidden gems via two-way deals and earn regular minutes. Could Keon Ellis be such a gem?

Ellis is highlighted in the latest episode of The Run, the behind the scenes look at the Kings season. It's another really fun episode, and time permitting we'll likely write more about it in the next day or two, but Ellis is certainly a highlight. You can watch the full episode here:

Ellis's strengths are his defense and his shooting. Ellis is a tenacious and pesky defender, and shot 38.9% and 36.6% from 3 in his last two years of college, respectively. Every team in the league is looking for defenders who can shoot. If Ellis' skills translate at the NBA level, he could be a steal as an undrafted player.

Ellis likely projects as a shooting guard at the NBA level, measuring 6'4.75" with shoes at the combine, but his 6'8.5" wingspan could give him the versatility to slide to the small forward spot in small ball lineups. But given the Kings current plethora of guards, it's hard to see an easy path to minutes for Ellis. Luckily the two-way contract will allow him to practice with Sacramento and play plenty of minutes with Stockton to continue to develop and refine his game under the tutelage of Bobby Jackson.

It's hard to see an immediate path to minutes for Keon Ellis, but his skill set could sneak him into the rotation as the season goes on. Maybe the Kings will finally strike on a diamond in the rough.

This article first appeared on The Kings Herald and was syndicated with permission.

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