The LA Clippers’ eyes may be closed in on bigger-name guards with extensive offensive potential, but in the corner of their peripheral vision is Keon Ellis of the Sacramento Kings. They once liked his fit to the point where a deal was close to the finish line; however, following Marc Stein’s latest report on ‘The Stein Line,’ Ellis essentially has one foot out of the door, with the other bound to join.
Stein also made it clear that Ellis has a higher chance of switching destinations than anyone in the league. This is a serious territory to be in, as players like Ja Morant, Jonathan Kuminga, and Guerschon Yabusele have headlined as some of the primary trade block names.
This season with the Kings, Ellis has averaged 5.5 points and 1.3 rebounds, shooting 39.2% from the field and 36.4% from beyond the arc.
Thus, are the rumors stemming from Stein’s report good or bad news for the Clippers? In the right lens with the right prescription, the path moving forward for the Kings’ fourth-year guard is evident.
Should the Clippers be all in or fully out of a pursuit of Keon Ellis?
If Keon Ellis has as much interest from teams around the league as Marc Stein has in his report, the LA Clippers should maximize their time on a candidate that is overlooked by the vast majority, instead of walking up and having a seat at a competitive bidding table.
Some of these teams in the race for Ellis could offer tier-one assets out of desperation, yet only one can win.
Eliis would make for a good fit in a Clippers’ rotation that needs role-playing guard help, but he has regressed in efficiency from the field, three-point line, and from a distance compared to last season.
If this were last season, the Clippers would have been the joke around town for not meeting the high asking price of the Sacramento Kings for a guard that was as loudly available as Ellis is. In bold, high-numbered font, the 26-year-old is on the cusp of a change of scenery.
On the flip side, despite his decline, Stein added that Sacramento is hunting for a first-round pick.
The Clippers do not have one to give, which is why they should intentionally disqualify their name from the Kings’ radar, yet hypothetically, if a coveted first was one of LA’s assets, Ellis should be a secondary priority to spend it on.