The Brooklyn Nets have signed guard Keon Ellis to a two-year, $18 million contract, addressing a need for veteran presence and defensive pressure in their backcourt. The deal, agreed to on the first night of free agency, includes a full mutual option, guaranteeing Ellis his salary while allowing both parties to negotiate a new agreement next summer.
Ellis, 26, arrives in Brooklyn after being traded midseason to the Cleveland Cavaliers from the Sacramento Kings. He reunites with Nets head coach Jordi Fernández, who was an assistant with the Kings during Ellis's tenure there. This move comes as the Nets look to improve their perimeter defense and ball-handling.
The Nets have invested in young guards through recent drafts, selecting Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, and Ben Saraf in last season's picks, and Mikel Brown Jr. most recently. With these prospects not yet projected as defensive stalwarts, Ellis's experience and defensive capabilities are seen as a valuable addition. Wing Drake Powell is also still developing into his defensive role.
Ellis has a career 3-point shooting percentage of .407 and averaged 8.3 points per game on .355 shooting from deep last season for the Cavaliers. He posted a plus-4.5 Net Rating over 24 minutes per game in the regular season. However, his performance dipped in the postseason, averaging seven minutes with a minus-15.9 Net Rating across a dozen appearances.
Despite his playoff struggles, Ellis's track record of defensive intensity, including ranking fifth in the league in steals per 100 possessions in the 2024-25 season and 15th the past season, makes him a potentially significant contributor for a rebuilding Nets team. His ability to defend at the point of attack and shoot from the perimeter aligns with the archetype of a 3-and-D player, a valuable commodity in the NBA. Brooklyn still has substantial salary cap space available following this signing.