When Keon Ellis visited Barclays Center recently, he simply fell in behind Michael Porter Jr. rather than risk getting lost. A few months into his Brooklyn tenure, the 26-year-old guard is still sorting out the building’s layout.
On the court, however, the path has been less complicated.
“I was lucky to pull up right behind Mike, so I just followed him,” Ellis said Tuesday. “But yeah, I don’t know where I’m going for sure.”
The adjustment has been smoother once he gets on the floor. Ellis started all four of Brooklyn’s preseason games, an early sign that the Nets are willing to give him the kind of consistent opportunity he’s lacked at times. The defensive-minded guard averaged eight points in 19.8 minutes, shooting 44% overall and 42.9% from 3-point range, including a 15-point night against the Washington Wizards before going scoreless on 0-for-7 in the finale against the Miami Heat.
“I think when you’re starting, the ball does just find you more,” Ellis said. “I don’t think it’s like I’m out there and we’re necessarily calling plays for me. I just think the opportunity is there. And, I mean, it’s been there too at times in my career too, but we’ll see what it looks like this year.”
That search for a more consistent role was central to why he chose the Nets.
“To be able to spread my wings a little bit here as well,” Ellis said at Media Day. “And so, I think that opportunity probably above all was kind of what stood out too.”
Ellis also reunited with head coach Jordi Fernández, whom he knew from his stint with the Sacramento Kings. Fernández can be hard to read sometimes, but Ellis has no doubt about his focus.
“It’s tough to tell with Jordi because he’s not like an expressive guy,” Ellis said. “I know he’s excited just because that’s what we’re here for, long summer. New guys, new team, new look. So, it’ll be interesting and fun to put it together.”
Consistency is what Ellis is chasing most. In 2024-25 with Sacramento, he shot 43.3% from 3-point range while averaging 8.3 points in 24.4 minutes. Last season, split between the Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers, those numbers fell to 6.7 points in 20.5 minutes and 36.3% from deep, and his starts dropped from 28 to 11. He’s described that earlier stretch as more predictable.
“During that year, everything was just so consistent. You knew what was going to happen, when it was going to happen,” Ellis said. “In the past year, obviously there were a lot of ups and downs.”
Ellis believes a more stable role can help, even if starting versus coming off the bench isn’t especially important to him.
“Whenever you’re out there, you just gotta make the most of it,” Ellis said. “But I think the consistency of knowing where you’re going to play, who you’re going in the game with, the rhythm that you guys have… that all matters and it goes hand in hand with how the team plays, how one individual plays.”
Defensively, Ellis knows exactly where he fits. He’s a point-of-attack defender who takes pride in making life uncomfortable for opposing ball handlers, a responsibility he embraces as Brooklyn looks to apply more pressure on the perimeter.
Life in New York has required a little more adjusting. Getting around is easier than it was in Sacramento, although the traffic hasn’t exactly won him over. He’s spent most of his time at home, but there’s one part of his new surroundings he’s eager to experience: the atmosphere inside Barclays Center.
Brooklyn’s lone preseason home game offered a taste of what awaits, and Ellis is looking forward to feeling that energy on a regular basis. Beyond that, Ellis isn’t interested in complicating things. His approach is the same one that’s carried him this far.
“Day by day, man. I go out there, just play hard, do the right things. I just let everything take care of itself,” he said. “Obviously you want to play good… and I expect myself to do that. But I definitely want to play well.”