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3w ago

Nets Sign Keon Ellis to Two-Year Deal

Coach Jordi Fernández reunited with Ellis to add a veteran 3-and-D wing expected to anchor Brooklyn’s on-ball perimeter matchups.

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Keon Ellis, who played for the Cavaliers last season, said he feels the Nets are a good fit because they appreciate his skillset
Feb 11, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Keon Ellis (14) stands on the court in the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

Overview

  • The Nets signed Keon Ellis on a two-year, $18 million contract with a mutual option for 2027–28, a deal reported over the weekend.
  • The new salary roughly quadruples Ellis’s previous annual pay after a three-year, $5.1 million contract in Sacramento.
  • Ellis and head coach Jordi Fernández worked together when Fernández was an assistant in Sacramento, and that prior relationship helped drive the signing.
  • Last season, Ellis posted elite per-100 defensive numbers — top percentiles in steals, blocks, turnovers forced, deflections, and a 98th percentile stop rate — that profile him as a point-of-attack defender.
  • Despite strong underlying metrics, Ellis struggled in the recent postseason with limited minutes and a negative net rating, but the Nets expect him to play meaningful minutes, mentor young guards, and lift their perimeter defense.