2 Kings who need more minutes, 1 who needs fewer down the stretch

Keon Ellis needs more minutes

Keon Ellis’ NBA journey has been an adventure. Entering the league as an undrafted player, he signed a two-way contract with the Kings, spent a year in the G League, played his way into Mike Brown’s rotation, and earned a standard contract. 

He has been one of the best stories of this Kings’ season and continues to impress. Every time Keon Ellis steps on the court, he proves that he deserves to be there. When Ellis is on the court, it looks like the Kings have an extra player. He is incredibly active defensively, flying around from one corner of the court to the next, and has been shooting well from three. 

Ellis is an energizer much like Monk, and needs more minutes. Whether those minutes come from Kevin Huerter, who has not been playing well, or in some of the three-guard lineups Mike Brown has been experimenting with doesn’t matter as long as Ellis is on the court more. 

The Kings need someone who will play with fire, do all the little things, and compete 100 percent of the time he is on the court. Ellis can be that player. He might not play much once the postseason comes around but he can help the Kings get there. Last night, against the Spurs, he even was Brown’s choice to finish the game when De’Aaron Fox fouled out.