The Sacramento Kings are in the midst of one of the most confusing seasons in recent franchise history. Despite boasting the sixth-best point differential in the Western Conference, Sacramento would fail to qualify for the Play-In Tournament, let alone the playoffs, if the season ended today.
If there's one reason for optimism in 2024-25, however, it's the emergence of Keon Ellis as a legitimate two-way player with profound potential.
Ellis, 25, has taken a considerable step forward during his third NBA season. His offensive game is rounding into form and his defense has become one of the top talking points among NBA fans and analysts during his recent uptick in playing time.
During a recent episode of The Big Number, Tom Haberstroh offered a captivating evaluation of Ellis, comparing him to one of the best two-way players of this generation: Jimmy Butler.
"[Keon Ellis] reminds me of a young Jimmy Butler in that he is a dog. He's a guy who's going out there, playing so hard. 48 minutes the other night. And Doug Christie's out there gassing this guy up, loving Keon Ellis."
That's a bold comparison, but it's a testament to the type of impression Ellis has made on analysts as something of a late bloomer with remarkable upside.
Kings up-and-comer Keon Ellis draws comparison to Jimmy Butler
Ellis is currently averaging 7.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 1.4 three-point field goals made in 21.6 minutes per game. As such, it'd be understandable to be reluctant to compare him to a player who has five All-NBA and five All-Defense nods on his résumé.
It's worth noting, however, that Butler didn't eclipse 10 points per game until his third season in the NBA—when he was just one year younger than Ellis is now.
It's also worth noting that Ellis is averaging 11.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.3 offensive boards, 2.0 assists, 2.3 steals, 1.3 blocks, and 2.4 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes. During Butler's third season, he tallied 12.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 offensive boards, 2.4 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 0.9 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.
Statistics only count for so much, but from a purely numerical perspective, they're closer to each other in year three than it may seem.
Beyond the numbers, the source of the praise for Ellis is the defensive intensity and instincts he brings to the table. His effort goes unquestioned, which makes his uncanny ability to play physical defense without fouling invaluable to the Kings' postseason ambitions.
That's resulted in remarkable production in the playmaking areas, but more importantly, it's help set a compelling tone for the team overall.
Thus far in 2024-25, the Kings are outscoring opponents by 10.7 points per 100 possessions when Ellis is on the court. That includes the fact that they're 5.3 points per 100 possessions worse on defense when he isn't present.
Compounded by the 11.3 points he's averaging per game over the past six games, Ellis is beginning to take the form of a player who could transform the Kings' identity and ambitions.