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The Kings will use the open spot on their 15-man roster to promote two-way player Keon Ellis, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Agent Corey Marcum tells Wojnarowski that the Kings and Ellis have agreed to a new three-year contract.
Ellis signed a two-year deal with Sacramento in July 2022 after going undrafted out of Alabama.
The 24-year-old didn’t play much as a rookie at the NBA level, making just 16 brief appearances throughout the season, but he has been in and out of the Kings’ rotation in 2023-24.
A 6-foot-6 guard, Ellis has averaged 3.8 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 11.9 minutes per game across 29 appearances (three starts) this season, posting a shooting line of .429/.377/.647.
Although he’s not a true point guard, Ellis was De’Aaron Fox‘s primary backup for much of December. Davion Mitchell has reclaimed that role as of late, but the Kings remain high on the former Crimson Tide standout.
Sacramento acquired Robin Lopez in a salary dump trade with the Bucks on Thursday, taking him into the open spot on the 15-man roster, but waived him shortly after completing that deal.
Ellis will now fill that opening. The promotion will create a two-way vacancy for the Kings alongside Jordan Ford and Jalen Slawson.
To sign Ellis to a contract exceeding two years, the Kings figure to use a leftover portion of their room exception.
The 2023-24 league year represents the first time that the room exception can be used to complete a deal of up to three years instead of just two.
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2024-25 Los Angeles Lakers Player Review: Jalen Hood-Schifino
The Los Angeles Lakers took an upside swing on Jalen Hood-Schifino with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, hoping the Indiana lead guard could develop into a ball-handler and playmaker. Hood-Schifino showed promise in college as a freshman, though the understanding was that it would take time for him to develop at the professional level. It was a curious selection at the time given that the Lakers have never operated with a lead guard like Hood-Schifino while LeBron James was on the roster. Also, players like Jamie Jaquez Jr. and Cam Whitmore were still available on the board when Los Angeles decided to go with Hood-Schifino. Suffice to say, Hood-Schifino’s rookie year in Los Angeles was muted as he failed to see the floor and saw his season cut short due to a back injury. Entering his sophomore season, there was some optimism that the guard could show more of what he could do with better health. Unfortunately, it was more of the same for the young guard as he failed to crack head coach JJ Redick’s rotation and found himself riding the bench. Hood-Schifino did end up being a useful piece for Los Angeles, though it came in the form of a trade as he was a part of the three-team deal that brought the purple and gold Luka Doncic. Hood-Schifino was sent to the Utah Jazz but did not appear in a game for them as he was subsequently waived. He went on to sign a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers and finished the 2024-25 season with the organization. It was a disappointing end to Hood-Schifino’s short tenure with Los Angeles, but the guard now gets an opportunity to develop behind the scenes with another team. 2024-25 Highlight While Hood-Schifino only appeared in two games for the Lakers during the regular season, he got more minutes for a ravaged 76ers team that was looking to tank in the second half of the year. After signing his two-way deal, Hood-Schfino went on to score a career-high 19 points in a win against the Dallas Mavericks. He had his most complete game later in the regular season when he recorded 18 points, five assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block in a loss to Toronto Raptors. 2025-26 Outlook Hood-Schifino will likely see more time in the G League when Philadelphia is fully healthy, though he could get called up to serve as depth throughout the year.
Athletics' Nick Kurtz makes MLB history vs. Astros
Athletics rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz already had an impressive start to his career. Kurtz entered Friday having posted a .288/.360/.622 batting line in 265 plate appearances, hitting 19 homers and 17 doubles. Despite making his major league debut on April 23, Kurtz has been the A's most valuable player, leading the team with 2.6 bWAR. He appeared to be on the cusp of becoming the superstar the A's needed to sell the team to the residents of Las Vegas. That performance set the stage for what may have been the most impressive game for any rookie in major league history. Kurtz became the 20th player in MLB history to have a four-home run game and the first rookie to achieve that feat. Kurtz's performance also put the 2025 season into baseball history. Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez had a four-home run game on April 26, making this the third time that there have been two four-homer games in a season. That had happened in 2002 (outfielders Mike Cameron and Shawn Green) and 2017 (utility man Scooter Gennett and left fielder J.D. Martinez). Kurtz did not stop with those four homers. He was 6-6 in the A's 15-3 victory over the Astros, with a double and eight runs batted in. The favorite to win the AL Rookie of the Year award, Kurtz put an emphatic stamp on an already impressive season with his barrage on Friday.
Yankees have finally found their third baseman in Ryan McMahon
After years of speculation and nothing materializing, the New York Yankees have at last acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz are headed to the Mile High City in return. They were the number eight and 21st-ranked prospects in the Yankees' farm system, per MLB.com. Given the Yankees' struggles at the third-base position over the last few years, bringing in a guy who was an All-Star in 2024 and will be much more reliable is a win. Former MLB player and current analyst Cameron Maybin certainly believes that, as he was pushing the McMahon-to-New York narrative over the last week and feels it could be a great fit for both sides. "The third baseman they need plays in Colorado...I'm telling you! Defensively more than adequate and Taylor made for the ballpark offensively," Maybin wrote on social media. Maybin went on to mention how McMahon will feel reinvigorated joining a World Series contender like the Yankees after the last six-and-a-half years of being at the bottom in Colorado. The 30-year-old is not having his best season, slugging 16 home runs and 35 RBI with a .217 average through 100 games with the Rockies, per MLB.com stats. However, he's consistently been a 20-plus home run hitter who drives in runs at a strong rate and has a large sample size of doing so. Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez (.252 average, 36 HRs, 86 RBI) has seemed to be No. 1 target for most teams, and for good reason, but given the Yankees' current situation and weaknesses, McMahon made more sense. Not only does he play a better third base, which New York desperately needs, but he has another two years of control after 2025, whereas Suarez would have been a rental. The acquisition cost was nothing crazy, and adding a lefty bat with some power to potentially take advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium is always a bonus. Some may not be satisfied until they see McMahon positively impacting the New York Yankees, but rest assured, this is a very solid pickup.
Aaron Boone Makes Feelings Clear After Yankees’ Big Trade
The New York Yankees didn't come into the season with the strongest third base situation, and it only got worse over time. They converted traditional second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the hot corner after getting him at the Trade Deadline last season and installed a timeshare with him, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera there in 2025. However, the latter player broke his ankle on May 12, and the Yankees released the now 37-year-old LeMahieu on July 10. Chisholm was primarily back at second at that point, so this left Peraza and Jorbit Vivas as their only true remaining third basemen. With Peraza hitting .147 and Vivas hitting .164, it was clear what the team's biggest need was. That's why it acquired veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday. New York manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts about the 30-year-old before Friday's bout with the Philadelphia Phillies, via SNY. "I know there's real offensive potential there. I know he's had real offensive success, as well as some struggles there over the last calendar year or two," he said. "It seems like over the last month he's really started swinging the bat like he's capable of. He can impact the ball, he can control the strike zone, he's had some swing-and-misses that have probably hurt him a little bit." "But then he can really defend over there," he continued. "The handful of times that we've played against them that I watch him, you're like, 'That's what it should look like over there.' He moves really well and has that prototypical good third base thing." McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 homers and 35 RBI over 100 games this season. He also has a .978 fielding percentage and six errors. Right-handed pitcher Will Warren (6-5, 4.91 ERA) will start for the Yankees against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (3-5, 3.75 ERA) on Friday.
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