After playing a great game for the Sacramento Kings against the Mavericks, Keon Ellis followed it up with an absolute dud against the Lakers. Consistency has proven to be Keon's kryptonite, and the only one who can help him is head coach Doug Christie. Assuming he wants to, of course.
Sacramento fans love Keon Ellis, and it's easy to understand why. He's an energetic player with a defensive mindset who isn't afraid to drain a three. When Ellis is having a game, he's basically unstoppable. The problem is that it's almost impossible to predict when that will happen.
Consistency is easily Ellis's biggest problem, with the last two games being prime examples. Against the Mavericks, he had 21 points, one rebound, three steals, and two blocks. Not too shabby. But against the Lakers, he had two points and one block. That's one heck of a drop off.
There was a difference in minutes as he had 32+ against the Mavericks and 22+ against the Lakers. Still, that difference of 10 minutes doesn't account for such a drastic shift in his stat lines from one game to the next. It's a problem that plagues Ellis, and Christie is the one who can fix it.
Doug Christie can get better out of Ellis by playing him more
In the NBA, consistent play comes from consistent minutes. That doesn't meant Ellis should be getting 30+ minutes every game, just that he should be getting consistent usage throughout the season. Across the first 32 games of the season, Ellis's time has been all over the map.
More than that, how he's used and who he is on the court with is incredibly random. It's not just about the number of minutes Keon is getting, but the quality of those same minutes. That's what Doug Christie and the coaching staff can do for Ellis and his quest to be a more consistent player.
While the Kings seem to be looking to trade Ellis, that doesn't mean Christie and friends should stop pushing Keon's development. If they keep giving him regular time and the opportunity to develop alongside the right players on the court, they will have the 3&D threat of their dreams.
Whether it's Sacramento that puts that effort in or another franchise, Ellis will eventually be a respected part of a starting lineup somewhere. When he finds that level of consistency, Keon will become a respected player in the league and possibly someone the Kings regret losing.