Sacramento Picks up Team Option on Keon Ellis

Nate Oats has done a fantastic job developing and preparing players for the next level. Since Oats took over the head coaching job for Alabama in 2019, the Tide has produced six draft picks and had eight players in the league last season. The Tide added four more players to the league, with Mark Sears (Milwaukee Bucks), Grant Nelson (Brooklyn Nets), Chris Youngblood (Oklahoma City Thunder), and Clifford Omuruyi (Toronto Raptors) signing with teams as undrafted free agents last week following the 2025 NBA Draft.

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On Sunday, the Sacramento Kings exercised former Alabama guard Keon Ellis’ $2.3 million team option for the 2025-2026 season. This will lock the third-year guard, who signed a two-way contract with the Kings after being undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft. Ellis went to work and earned a multi-year agreement in February 2024.

Ellis played under Oats from 2020 to 2022, and he was named to the All-SEC Defensive Team in the 2021-2022 season, which saw the Crimson Tide fall in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Notre Dame. The former JUCO prospect started his collegiate career at Florida Southwestern State College, where he spent 2018-2020. He averaged 18.7 points per game in the 2019-2020 season before committing to the Crimson Tide as a Junior.

The former two-way player for the Tide has consistently improved during his three seasons in the league. In the 2024-2025 season, Ellis averaged 8.3 points per game, nearly three points more than his average from the previous season. His shooting percentage also increased to 48.9%, a 2% rise from the 46.1% field goal percentage he recorded last season. Additionally, his playing time increased to 24.4 minutes per game during the 2024-2025 season. Ellis's three-point shooting percentage also improved, reaching 43.3%, as he attempted an average of four three-pointers per game, which places him in the top 10 for three-point rate in the league.

This option has allowed Sacramento to retain a very talented player at a bargain price, as Ellis’s team option for the 2025-2026 season is only $2.3 million. This amount is relatively cheap for a player of his caliber, who is deadly from beyond the arc and excels defensively. This move saved the Kings approximately $10 to $16 million in cap space for the offseason, enabling the team to bring in additional talent. It also provides Ellis with another season in a system where he has consistently improved over his three seasons in the NBA. Ellis could then secure a significant contract extension with the Kings or potentially earn a larger contract elsewhere. The Kings are expected to extend Ellis when he becomes eligible on February 9th.

Ellis is set to play with the Kings next season, marking his fourth year in the league and with the organization. If the former Alabama guard performs like he did last year, he could be in line for a substantial payday during next year's offseason.

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