The league wants Keon Ellis (and the Kings will regret letting him go)

It's expected that the Sacramento Kings will trade Keon Ellis before the deadline in a few weeks, with up to ten other franchises showing interest in the 3&D player. For some reason, the Kings just don't see the same potential in Ellis and are ready to part ways, a decision they will likely regret.

With one-third of the league interested in acquiring the services of Ellis, the Kings are sure to have their pick of trade options. Even if that number is only half right, that would mean Sacramento's front office would have five potential offers to review. That's an embarrassment of riches.

At the same time, that does make it harder to understand why the Kings want to let him go. It could just come down to the fact that he is so valuable on the trade market, and Sacramento needs resources to start their rebuild. Yet, Ellis could be a big part of that.

The wet blanket seems to be Doug Christie. Reports indicate that the front office is high on Ellis, but Christie and his coaching staff are not. This trade scenario is being motivated in part by personal feelings more than professional ones, and that could bite Sacramento in the butt down the road.

Trading Keon Ellis could be a major regret for Sacramento

In the last year or so, the Kings have made some terrible decisions, such as firing Mike Brown and trading De'Aaron Fox. Letting Ellis go would be another regrettable move, though they might not have a choice. There is a path to keeping Keon, but he may not want to stay, given the lack of respect.

There is a strong possibility that Ellis goes to another team, flourishes, and makes the Kings look like idiots for not investing in him. Naturally, that will depend on the team he ends up with and their ability to pick up the brutally dropped ball that is his development in Sacramento.

Given that 10 teams are seriously interested in Ellis, it's obvious that the potential to be great is there. The league knows it. The Sactown fans know. Even the Kings' front office knows it. There should be real concern in Sacramento that the Kings are on the verge of making a huge mistake.

A big part of this is who and what Sacramento gets in return. If they can work a deal that gets them players like Ryan Rollins, Rob Dillingham, or Jonathan Kuminga and a couple of good draft picks, giving up one of the most sought-after young players in the league might almost be worth it.