Nets signing former Cavs wing Keon Ellis to two-year contract

The Nets have added one of the better perimeter defenders available in free agency.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Brooklyn has agreed to a two-year, $18 million contract with wing Keon Ellis. Charania reported the deal includes a mutual option and is fully guaranteed, though the exact structure has yet to be announced.

Ellis, 26, finished last season with the Cavaliers after being acquired from the Kings at the trade deadline.

While he wasn’t part of Cleveland’s playoff rotation, Ellis made a positive impression during the regular season with his defensive energy and ability to knock down open shots.

The former Alabama standout has carved out a reputation as an active perimeter defender who forces turnovers and plays well without the ball. He has also connected on 40.7 percent of his three-point attempts over four NBA seasons.

Originally an undrafted free agent, Ellis spent the first three-plus years of his NBA career with Sacramento before finishing the 2025-26 campaign in Cleveland.