NBA Notes: Cavs, Keon Ellis, Hornets, Kon Knueppel, Pacers

Cavaliers

The Cavaliers grabbed headlines at the deadline by acquiring James Harden and Dennis Schröder.

But another addition has quietly turned heads.

Guard Keon Ellis has impressed teammates and coach Kenny Atkinson with his defensive energy, including a five-block, three-steal performance in Sunday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets.

“He never gives up on a play,” Atkinson said. “I’ve never quite seen a player like him defensively. He’s not a massive guy but he plays way bigger than he looks. Length counts. Activity counts. He makes up for probably the strength deficit with his activity.”

Ellis is currently extension-eligible and could become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

Hornets

Kon Knueppel keeps stacking hardware.

The Hornets rookie has been named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for the fourth straight time, sweeping the award for the entire season so far.

Knueppel averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists in February while shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 48.5 percent from three.

Charlotte went 8-3 in games he played during the month.

Pacers

The Indiana Pacers recently signed guard Quenton Jackson to a three-year deal.

The contract will pay him the minimum ($601,553) for the remainder of this season. It also includes a partial guarantee of $275,000 on his $2.58 million salary for 2026-27, with a fully non-guaranteed third year.

Indiana used a portion of its mid-level exception to complete the deal.