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Trade vultures circling around this Kings’ player

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints
By Rohan Brahmbhatt, ClutchPoints | Last updated Nov 18, 2025 11:55 AM ET

With the Sacramento Kings spiraling to a 3-11 start and showing no signs of stabilizing, rival teams across the league are preparing for what many believe could become the NBA’s biggest early-season garage sale. While names like Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis will grab headlines, league executives say one player in particular is drawing the most interest: Keon Ellis.

Multiple front offices view Ellis as the quietly elite value asset that contenders fight over at the deadline, a premium perimeter defender on a bargain contract who has developed legitimate shooting touch.

In a season where Sacramento desperately needs cohesion and consistency, Ellis has become one of the lone bright spots… and ironically, that’s exactly why trade vultures are circling.

Rival executives are monitoring Keon Ellis as a potential trade target with the Kings preparing to sell closer to the deadline.

Unable to find a consistent role in Sacramento, even as their best defender, Ellis would have a very strong market on a $2.3 million expiring contract. pic.twitter.com/yaJYX649hY

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) November 17, 2025

Ellis is averaging 7.1 points, 1.4 steals, and shooting 44.4% from three across 14 games this season. His defensive impact jumps off the screen: quick hands, elite anticipation, and the ability to stick to scorers across multiple positions. At just 25 years old and making bottom-tier money, executives see Ellis as both a playoff rotation piece and a long-term investment.

Ellis’ career numbers back up the consistency: 43.1% from three across 167 games, plus strong steal and block rates for his position. He’s the kind of role player teams like Boston, Phoenix, and Miami are constantly searching for.

With Sacramento sinking to the bottom of the West, the pressure to revamp it is intensifying. The LaVine-Sabonis-DeRozan trio isn’t working, and the Kings’ defense continues to crumble. As losses pile up, the front office faces a reality check: do they double down on a flawed roster, or lean into a rebuild and cash in their assets while value is high?

If that second path becomes unavoidable, Keon Ellis might be the first domino to fall, not because the Kings want to move him, but because the league refuses to stop calling.

In Sacramento, change feels imminent. And Ellis may be the league’s favorite piece on the clearance shelf.

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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