The Utah Jazz will stop tanking after this season, meaning this offseason, they'll go shopping. Of course, they want the big fish like Austin Reaves, but they should also be on the prowl for guys who can play on both sides, something they don't really have at the moment.
For everything that should work out for the Jazz long-term, they are short on plus-defenders. Walker Kessler's return will help them, but he's only one man. They'll need more than just him to get respectability on that end. Another impending free agent that could shore up their defense, and at a bargain price no less is Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis.
Ellis has developed a reputation as an up-and-coming 3&D guard wasting away with the Sacramento Kings. Because he's wasting away there, Kings reporter James Ham revealed that multiple teams have inquired about him, though the Jazz aren't one of them.
"I know for a fact that there are tons of teams that have called the Kings about Keon Ellis,” Ham said on the Locked on Kings podcast. “According to my sources, here’s some names you have to keep in mind: the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Indiana Pacers, the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks have all called on Keon Ellis.”
Okay, so Ellis isn't on the Jazz's current radar primarily because they likely don't want to add anyone who could interfere with their tank. However, again, things are bound to change this offseason, which means Ellis could be had, and if all goes well, he could be had for cheap.
The Kings stink right now, and might be in for some wholesale changes. In so doing, they have also destroyed Ellis' value a tad. Their struggles likely mean Ellis will likely be on a new team either before the trade deadline passes or this coming offseason. Anyone who has watched his game film can see that he's someone whose services are best used on a good team.
He brings what Utah has lacked
Ellis' numbers aren't too great, but it's fair to believe that his tumble this season can be attributed to the Kings being in a bit of a tailspin. If you look at last season's numbers, they were a lot better on a Kings team that fared much better than their current team.
When the Kings had their heads on straight, Ellis shot nearly 49% from the field and 43.3% from three to go with his lockdown perimeter defense. His averages weren't too shabby either, averaging 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 0.8 blocks.
Yes, they're down across the board, but any NBA team paying attention knows that this is simply a product of a role player suffering from his team's internal dysfunction. Ellis isn't a star, but he fills some of the holes that the Jazz haven't been able to fill. In short, he's the long-term 3&D replacement for Kris Dunn.