While his trade market could be robust with “many teams” already expressing interest, it’s hard to imagine Sacramento setting a steep asking price when it has greatly reduced Ellis’ role for some reason.
Between his relentless on-ball defense and career 42.8 percent splash rate from three, he’s the kind of player you’d think would be hard to keep off the floor. In reality, though, the Kings are allotting him just 16.6 minutes per outing—his least amount of floor time since becoming a rotation regular in 2022-23.
And this isn’t obviously performance-related, either… he’s shooting 41.5 percent from range and making this defense 4.5 points stingier per 100 possessions than it plays without him.
Given Sacramento’s pressing needs for defense and long-distance shot-making, it’s hard to make sense of Ellis’ diminished role. But that’s a problem for the Kings to figure out.
For the Lakers, who are expected to have interest in him…they have to be sensing a real buying opportunity here.
They need everything Ellis could provide. His defense and spacing are obvious need-fillers, but his speed and athleticism would address problem areas for the Purple and Gold, too.

MIN: Anthony Edwards saves Wolves from themselves against woeful Pelicans
Jon Krawczynski, The Athletic

MIN: Win in New Orleans less than satisfying for Timberwolves
Chris Hine, Star Tribune

NOP: The Pelicans suffered another late collapse to the Timberwolves, but Derik Queen, Trey Murphy III, and Jeremiah Fears still give fans hope
Chris Lambert, Pelican Debrief

NYK: Bummer in Beantown
Tommy Beer, Knicks Centric

“I didn’t do my team any service,” Brunson told reporters. “Throughout the game, I just didn’t help at all.”

NYK: Inside the Knicks’ most bizarre loss of the season
James Edwards III, The Athletic

OKC: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is getting better at everything
Dan Devine, Yahoo Sports

OKC: Holmgren is ready to show the NBA why his best is yet to come
Anthony Slater, ESPN

ORL: The Magic are better than their record
Philip Rossman-Reich, Orlando Magic Daily

ORL: Magic gaining the process of winning
Philip Rossman-Reich, World R Squared

ORL: Magic’s defense rounding back into form
Philip Rossman-Reich, Orlando Magic Daily

PHI: Dominick Barlow is buying Paul George time to get back on track
Maxwell Ogden, The Sixer Sense

PHI: Tyrese Maxey Is Keeping the Sixers Afloat
Dan Gartland, Sports Ilustrated

SAC: PODCAST: Kings Weekly Recap and Preview

Ray LeBov/Nick Agar-Johnson, Kings Weekly Podcast

SAC: Doug Christie Addresses Kings’ Major Struggles After Loss to Grizzlies
James Mccauley, Sports Illustrated

We did not see the bench unit that ended the first quarter on a 12-0 run to give the Kings the lead after the first quarter after that one stint. Christie said, “We were trying to get back to it, then they ended up going, I think big, I’d have to go back and look at the film. Sometimes the game dictates how it goes.”
Interpret this how you want, but I do not put much stock into this answer. Given their personnel, Sacramento would be undersized regardless of what combination he chose to run. At that point, why not try the smaller lineup to see if you can run Memphis out of the big lineup?
Further, the increasing frequency of use of the “watching the film” response brings back (bad) memories of another former Kings coach’s cop-out answer of choice.
Unsurprisingly, Keon Ellis was on the floor for the duration of that 12-0 run. Even less surprisingly, Ellis did not see the floor again after being subbed out several minutes into the second quarter.

SAC: Kings vs. Rockets: Malik Monk, Dennis Schroder injuries; 3 keys to the game
Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee

SAC: Kings rookie sees ‘quiet’ side of Westbrook’s leadership
Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee

Kings coach Doug Christie had high praise for Westbrook when asked about his work with Raynaud during the Utah game. “That’s the part of Russell Westbrook that nobody gets to see,” Christie said. “He sat in with coach Mike Miller when he was talking to bigs about when they play together, understanding where to be and different calls. When our point guard does that, it’s not just your coach talking. It’s also the person who’s on the floor educating said position, and his willingness to speak in the locker room is a positive thing. There’s been so many positive things about Russell.

SAC: Keegan Murray’s Breakout Return
Jalon Dixon, Heavy.com

The Kings’ issues extend beyond injuries. Trade rumors continue to surround Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Keon Ellis, a fan favorite and one of the roster’s bright young defenders, still cannot crack Doug Christie’s rotation in a meaningful way. The front office appears headed toward a fire-sale approach, and the team’s overall trajectory has become increasingly uncertain.
The absence of Sabonis has exposed Sacramento’s lack of stability on both ends of the floor. The offense has struggled to generate efficient looks, and the defense continues to collapse during extended stretches.
For the Kings, Murray’s strong return is more than a temporary spark. His ability to anchor scoring, defend multiple positions, and provide length on the wing gives Sacramento a stabilizing force during its most fragile stretch of the season. Even with the roster uncertainty and the looming return of Sabonis, Murray’s production has established him as one of the few players trending upward.
The sample size is small, but the impact is undeniable. With the rest of the season still open and the trade deadline approaching, Murray’s emergence may become one of the defining storylines for a Kings team searching for something to build around.
Right now, Sacramento may not have many answers, but they do have one clear positive: Keegan Murray is back, and he looks ready to lead.

SAS: Julian Champagnie’s Harden-esque skill is game changer for Spurs
Cal Durrett, Air Alamo

TOR: Raptors rebound from back-to-back losses with strong showing vs. Blazers
Michael Grange, Sportsnet

UTA: Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George found the bond the Jazz needed in Finland
Tony Jones, The Athletic

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