Dalton Knecht and a future first round pick with heavy protection are reportedly assets that could help Los Angeles Lakers to land Keon Ellis ahead of Trade Deadline.
The Los Angeles Lakers are actively trying to inject some fresh blood into the squad, finding potential improvements around their core players.
Keon Ellis
Keon Ellis
Keon Ellis
MIN: 17.41
PTS: 5.5 (42.48%)
REB: 1.3
AS: 0.58
ST: 1.1
BL: 0.48
TO: 0.5
GM: 40
Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis remains one of the most discussed names that other teams hope to acquire for the right price.
Lakers reporter Maxwell Ogden revealed an ideal trade package for both sides:
"If the Kings are prioritizing youth and upside in a trade for Ellis, however, there is a reasonable path to the Lakers acquiring him," Ogden started.
"Dalton Knecht and a future first-round pick would give the Kings an instant and long-term influx of promising talent. Though Knecht has struggled to secure playing time in 2025-26, he turned heads prior to the Luka Doncic trade in 2024-25."
It is highly questionable, however: Is Ellis worth a first-round pick? Few NBA executives agree with that.
Nevertheless, given that the market isn't filled with many available 3-and-D players, around 10 teams inquired about Ellis, who isn't getting many minutes with the Kings.
The Lakers would probably heavily protect a future first-round draft pick to ensure it's not a lottery pick or anywhere near the top ten. Sacramento's reported demand for a first-round pick also suggests they are content with a late first-rounder.
Ellis is on a cheap contract and would likely re-sign on a team-friendly deal this summer. This year, he's playing just 17.4 minutes per game, averaging 5.5 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.6 assists across 40 games.
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