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Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors looks for a pass against Keon Ellis #23 of the Sacramento Kings in the first quarter at Chase Center on January 05, 2025 in San Francisco, California.
The Golden State Warriors reportedly covet young 3-and-D guard Keon Ellis in a Jonathan Kuminga trade from the Sacramento Kings.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Warriors may even be willing to take on Malik Monk’s contract if they can get back Ellis in a potential Kuminga trade.
“The Warriors refuse to absorb the three years and $60.4 million remaining on Malik Monk’s deal, though league sources said Keon Ellis (on a cheap expiring deal) is a potential sweetener of interest to them,” Charania reported on Dec. 15.
Ellis, an impending free agent, is a low-risk, high-reward asset for the Warriors, who can essentially take a four-month test run and reassess his future over the summer. Monk, who has a $21M player option in 2027-28, is obviously a risky get for the Warriors, who have ambitious plans for the 2027 offseason.
Kuminga Trade to Kings
The Warriors similarly sought Ellis or Keegan Murray in a deal from the Kings during Kuminga’s restricted free agency last summer, while hesitating to take Monk’s contract, per reports. However, the Kings were set on their offer of Monk and a 2030 lottery-protected first-round pick. Golden State ultimately pulled the plug on the talks and re-signed Kuminga to a two-year, $46.8M contract with a Team Option for 2026-27.
Their stance on Monk’s contract hasn’t changed a year later, with Charania’s report highlighting that Golden State prefers expiring contracts in a Kuminga trade.
“League sources said the Warriors have been prioritizing expiring contracts in return for Kuminga. They’ve declined the idea of taking back long-term contracts unless they view it as no-brainer positive value. That has been the holdup in conversations with Sacramento.”
With Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green’s contracts all expiring in 2027, league insiders expect that offseason to be a monumental one for Golden State. As such, it appears unlikely they’ll ruin their longterm vision for short-term gains.
Keon Ellis Coveted by Several Teams
Ellis, a career 41.3% three-point shooter, has struggled to find a consistent role in Sacramento since Doug Christie succeeded Mike Brown as head coach. Yet, he’s viewed as an intriguing piece by scouts due to his defensive ability and marksmanship. In his four years with the Kings, Ellis, who can guard up to three positions with his 6-foot-9 wingspan, has flashed enough potential to have rival teams intrigued.
One NBA GM told Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney last month that teams around the league were lining up to trade for Ellis, due to his risk-free contract and high upside.
“He has not even played that great this season, but he has a couple things going for him that are pushing his market,” said the GM. “One, he is plug-and-play. Everybody needs another guy who can knock down shots and defend on the perimeter.
“Two, he is cheap. He makes ($2.3) million. You can take a guy off the end of your bench, put a couple of second-round picks in the deal and come away with a guy who would be in anyone’s rotation right now.”
The Kings are reportedly seeking one protected first-round pick for Ellis, who has a 71% probability rate to be moved by the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, per Polymarket.
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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