Doug Christie Explains Lack of Minutes for Keon Ellis

The Sacramento Kings season has already been filled with storylines early in the year. From Russell Westbrook impressing in his 18th season, injuries to Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis, and Nique Clifford showing improvement through his first handful of games. But an emergering, or re-emerging, storyline is the lack of playing time for fan favorite Keon Ellis.

Ellis has been a favorite in Sacramento since he was a rookie on his two-way contract, and that's only grown as he's gotten more time on the court. He's blossomed into a true three-and-D player with a career 42.9 three-point percentage.

His combination of defense and shooting makes him invaluable, but as has been the case in the past, the minutes just haven't been there this season for the 26-year-old guard.

Last night in the loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Ellis didn't enter the game until the fourth quarter. Doug Christie was asked why that was the case, and pointed to the roster construction as the main reason why.

"Yeah, it's a number's game. There's a big logjam there, so night to night it could be different," Christie said. "It's not going to get any easier when we get Keegan back. But this is a good problem to have. It's one that hasn't been here for a long time, when you talk about wing players and the ability to have them. But Keon's a pro, so I know he'll be ready and prepared."

Kings head coach Doug Christie shares why he chose not to play Keon Ellis until the 4th quarter. pic.twitter.com/hlD2BhXRT8
— Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) November 8, 2025

Coming into the season, it was clear that the Kings had too many guards. Between Dennis Schroder, Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, Keon Ellis, and Devin Carter, there was always going to be someone on the outside looking in. It was assumed that Carter would be one of the players to feel that number's crunch, but Ellis is a bit of a surprise.

So far this season, Ellis is averaging 6.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists, and 1.4 steals on 46.7% shooting from the field and 41.9% from three in 18.7 minutes per game. The three-point shooting numbers and steals are still there, but one of the things that stands out is that Ellis doesn't do much else on the court.

Nov 7, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) drives past Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) in the fourth quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

That's not discounting what he does well, but with the roster as is, the Kings need rebounding and playmaking all around the court, which they haven't gotten from Ellis so far this season. Ellis defensive style is also very high-risk, high-reward, which is great and creates defensive highlights on a nightly basis, but it's possible Christie is looking for a different defensive style as the team builds their defensive identity.

Another factor has been the strong play of rookie Nique Clifford. Clifford's numbers don't jump off the page, but he brings a little more versatility than Ellis with his rebounding and playmaking abilities.

Ellis' playing time will be a key storyline to keep an eye on throughout the season, as he's set to become an unrestricted free agent during the offseason. The Kings can sign him to an extension, but if he's not getting the playing time he wants, Ellis may opt for free agency instead. If Sacramento gets the sense that could be the case, they could look into moving him at the deadline so they don't lose him for nothing.

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