Kings Make Surprising Starting Lineup Change vs Trail Blazers

The Sacramento Kings made a late starting lineup change to the surprise of everyone in the Golden 1 Center.

Mar 19, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) between plays against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings starting lineup has been a point of contention for fans, media, and even the team. Coach Doug Christie has been asked multiple times about bringing Keon Ellis into the starting lineup and moving Malik Monk back to his 6th man role.

"No, because we've won a lot of games with Malik [Monk] in that position," Christie bluntly stated.

I asked Doug Christie about if he's considering going back to starting Keon Ellis over Malik Monk. pic.twitter.com/6iTLmQMFkb
— Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) March 14, 2025

Even though Ellis has started due to injury, with Malik Monk available tonight, the expectation was that he would slot back into his starting role. That seemed to be the plan with Malik announced as a starter, but things took a turn when Keon Ellis entered instead.

The Kings initially announced that they would be starting Malik Monk, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis, but something changed. Ellis unexpectedly started the game over Monk, shocking everyone.

Malik Monk was announced as a starter, even to the crowd, but Keon Ellis is coming in.
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) March 28, 2025

It’s unclear whether this was a last-minute change or a mistake in lineup announcements, but either way, Keon Ellis gets the start tonight.

With Ellis inserted into the starting five for Monk, the Kings' net rating jumps from -9.3 to -1.5. While that may not seem important as they’re still a negative lineup, an almost 8-point swing is huge in the NBA.

Tonight’s game against Portland is an absolute must-win for Sacramento, and setting the tone defensively with Ellis in the starting lineup may be a great place to start.

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