Keon Ellis Deal Could be Steal for Brooklyn Nets

The young guard might be ready to break out in Brooklyn.

Mar 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Keon Ellis (14) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Brooklyn Nets have made some intriguing moves this offseason, and one of their latest signings could be a steal.

After free agency officially started on Tuesday night, the NBA wasn’t quite as chaotic as it once was when the clock struck midnight. With the start time of free agency moving up a few hours in recent years, and the league cracking down on tampering, the fireworks weren’t immediately available.

However, the Nets still got in on some early action, most notably agreeing to deal with guard Keon Ellis. The 26-year-old is heading into his fifth year in the league, securing a two-year, $18 million deal with a mutual option for year two.

Spending the first three and a half seasons of his career in Sacramento, Ellis broke out somewhat in his second year, tallying 21 starts for the Kings in the 2023-24 season. Becoming a more established player in his third year, playing 80 games and starting 28, Ellis turned into a trade target for several teams across the league.

While he eventually landed on a contender in Cleveland at the deadline last season, he didn’t get the opportunity he hoped for with the Cavaliers, who already had plenty of depth and star power in the backcourt. Ellis didn’t leave much of an impression on Cleveland, but he could easily turn himself into a key piece of what Brooklyn is trying to build next season.

Reunited with Jordi Fernandez, who was an assistant in Sacramento in Ellis’ first two years in the league, the defensive-minded guard could be a perfect fit in Brooklyn’s system. Averaging 1.2 steals last season and 1.5 steals the year before, Ellis’ defense might be exactly what the Nets have been looking for on the perimeter.

Although Ellis’ offense has been shaky throughout his short time in the league, he’s still shown some real signs of promise on that end. Although he won’t be able to keep up his 70.6% mark from inside the arc he had in 29 games in Cleveland to end last season, his 40.7% career mark from 3-point range will be something to watch in Brooklyn after he had a down year in 2025-26.

In any case, getting Ellis for $9 million a year should go down as a good deal for Brooklyn if he can showcase his perimeter defense and/or make some strides offensively. Considering Ellis’ familiarity with Fernandez, this pairing should be destined to succeed in Barclays Center.