Kings agree to deal with two-way player

Ellis signed a two-year deal with Sacramento in July 2022 after going undrafted out of Alabama. 

The 24-year-old didn’t play much as a rookie at the NBA level, making just 16 brief appearances throughout the season, but he has been in and out of the Kings’ rotation in 2023-24.

A 6-foot-6 guard, Ellis has averaged 3.8 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 11.9 minutes per game across 29 appearances (three starts) this season, posting a shooting line of .429/.377/.647.

Although he’s not a true point guard, Ellis was De’Aaron Fox‘s primary backup for much of December. Davion Mitchell has reclaimed that role as of late, but the Kings remain high on the former Crimson Tide standout.

Sacramento acquired Robin Lopez in a salary dump trade with the Bucks on Thursday, taking him into the open spot on the 15-man roster, but waived him shortly after completing that deal. 

Ellis will now fill that opening. The promotion will create a two-way vacancy for the Kings alongside Jordan Ford and Jalen Slawson.

To sign Ellis to a contract exceeding two years, the Kings figure to use a leftover portion of their room exception. 

The 2023-24 league year represents the first time that the room exception can be used to complete a deal of up to three years instead of just two.