Nets guard Keon Ellis takes on backup role after $18M Brooklyn move
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The gist
Undrafted guard Keon Ellis signed a two-year, $18 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets in 2026 free agency.
He is set to back up Michael Porter Jr. in Brooklyn.
Background
Keon Ellis is a 26-year-old guard from Eustis, Florida, who played college basketball at Alabama and went undrafted in 2022 before earning a roster spot with the Sacramento Kings. After a 2024-25 season in which he shot 43.3% from 3-point range and started 28 games, his role shrank in 2025-26, when he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the deadline and his starts fell to 11. Ellis has said the search for a more consistent role was central to his decision to sign with Brooklyn, where he is set to back up Michael Porter Jr. at small forward.
How it unfolded
- 2022Ellis went undrafted in the NBA Draft but earned a spot on the Sacramento Kings roster.
- 2024 -25With Sacramento, he shot 43.3% from 3-point range and averaged 8.3 points in 24.4 minutes over 28 starts.
- Last trade deadlineEllis was traded from the Kings to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
- 2025 -26Split between Sacramento and Cleveland, he averaged 6.7 points in 20.5 minutes and shot 36.3% from deep, with his starts dropping to 11.
- 2026 offseasonEllis signed with the Brooklyn Nets on a two-year, $18 million deal, with the second year a mutual option.
- Oct 21, 2026Ellis had started all four Nets preseason games, averaging eight points in 19.8 minutes and shooting 42.9% from 3-point range, including a 15-point night against the Wizards and a scoreless 0-for-7 finale against the Heat.
Who’s saying what
- Player
- Ellis said the chance to "spread my wings a little bit" and find a consistent role stood out above all in choosing Brooklyn.
- Analysts
- Reporting frames Ellis as the Nets' backup small forward behind Michael Porter Jr., with his playing time potentially climbing closer to 30 minutes.