Looming Free Agent Who Just Fell Out of Playoff Rotation Is Perfect Pelicans Target

An important offseason for the New Orleans Pelicans franchise has started, and the team must use it wisely to turn the organization around. Another season with fewer than 30 wins just ended, leaving frustrated fans to wonder when the team will ever seriously compete for a championship.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, on the other hand, just extended their season after a grueling seven-game series versus the Toronto Raptors. Cleveland got many contributions from supporting role players, but one in particular seems to have fallen out of the lineup.

Shooting guard Keon Ellis recorded his third-straight DNP of the playoffs in a year where he will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The former undrafted guard from Alabama was traded to the Cavaliers before the deadline after spending the first few years of his career with the Sacramento Kings. Cleveland was looking to add valuable guard depth for the playoffs, but after the first four games of round one, Ellis has been out of the lineup and out of the Cavaliers' future plans.

That would open the door for the Pelicans to take a look at Eliis during free agency.

Keon Ellis’ LOCKDOWN defense vs Steph Curry & the Warriorspic.twitter.com/1uvh0l7NOs
— WhiteBballPains (@WhiteBballPains) April 18, 2024

Keon Ellis Is the Perfect Bargain 3-and-D Guard for the Pelicans

The Pelicans may have a need in the backcourt, with most speculating the team would look to trade either Dejounte Murray or Jordan Poole this offseason. Both are in line to make more than $30 million this season, a price that isn’t sustainable for New Orleans to continue to pay.

Ellis is a defensive-minded guard first, averaging about 1.2 steals per game for his career. He has shown the ability to knock down outside shots, something the Pelicans desperately need on their roster. New Orleans has been near the bottom of the league in three-point attempts and makes over the last few seasons. Ellis is a career 40% shooter from beyond the arc.

A knock on Ellis is his smallish frame, which limits his ability to defend bigger perimeter players. At 6-foot-4, the Raptors were able to use bigger wing players to post and push Ellis around while he was on the court. The Pelicans have bigger wing defenders like Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III, who won’t let other teams' offensive creators just hunt Ellis while he is on the court.

Ellis' dip in playing time could work to the Pelicans' benefit when negotiating a potential contract this season. New Orleans could free up some cap space by rejecting the team option on veteran center Kevon Looney, which would free up about $8 million. Ellis is just 26 years old, so this may end up being a prove-it contract for him, allowing the Pelicans to offer backcourt playing time and the ability to play with bigger defenders.

Ellis appeared in 29 games for the Cavaliers after the trade from the Kings and averaged 8.3 points, 1.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest. He’s not played more than 15 minutes in any game this postseason, and he has only made one basket in the seven games. The Cavs have favored veteran point guard Dennis Schroder, whom they also acquired from the Kings this season. Schroder has appeared in all seven games this postseason for Cleveland.

New Orleans will be on the lookout for value deals this offseason to improve a roster that needs a shakeup. The Pelicans had a middling bench again this season, so potentially adding a player like Ellis could help. His tenure in Cleveland seems like it’s heading to an end, regardless of the final playoff results for the Cavaliers. New Orleans should give Ellis a close look this summer as a player who can have a positive impact moving forward.

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