Keon Ellis, Nets Reportedly Agree to Contract in NBA Free Agency, Updated Salary Cap and Depth Chart

The Brooklyn Nets agreed to a two-year, $18 million contract with guard Keon Ellis on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

The deal includes a full mutual option that fully guarantees Ellis $18 million, Charania added. Both sides can also discuss a new contract next summer.

According to Spotrac, the Nets had $180.9 million in total salary cap allocations prior to Ellis' deal. They also had $100.5 million in first apron space and $113.2 million in second apron space, per Spotrac.

Nets Depth Chart

PG: Mikel Brown Jr., Ben Saraf, Nolan Traore

SG: Keon Ellis, Egor Demin, Drake Powell

SF: Michael Porter Jr., Noah Clowney

PF: Julius Randle, Joshua Jefferson

C: Day'Ron Sharpe, Danny Wolfe, Josh Minott

Ellis had a solid second half with the Cleveland Cavaliers after getting traded by the Sacramento Kings. In 29 appearances with the Cavs, he averaged 8.3 points and 1.6 assists in 24.8 minutes. He also shot 35.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Particularly through his defense, the 26-year-old demonstrated why the team was willing to give up De'Andre Hunter to get him.

Unfortunately, the playoffs were pretty much a disaster in terms of setting him up for free agency.

Ellis appeared in just 12 of Cleveland's 18 postseason contests, and his highest usage came in the season-ending blowout at the hands of the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. He totaled just 19 points, 14 rebounds and three assists.

According to NBA.com, the Cavaliers were 13.7 points per 100 possessions better with Ellis on the bench in the playoffs. He individually had a minus-15.9 net rating.

Having players who are more valuable in the regular season than the playoffs isn't necessarily a bad thing. The schedule is an 82-game grind. Stars inevitably get injured or need to rest, and a team needs depth in order to keep winning games.

The Cavaliers have to be very discerning in their offseason business, though. Their sizable payroll leaves them with little flexibility, and their all-or-nothing quest for a title makes it tough to have somebody on the squad who's going to contribute little at the most critical stage of the year.

The Stein Line's Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported Ellis was effectively a contingency for Cleveland if forward Dean Wade went elsewhere. Given that, it's little surprise he's on the move.

With a full offseason to settle in with the Nets, he could iron out some of the flaws in his game that became increasingly glaring at the worst time.

The Nets were one of the most logical suitors for Ellis before free agency kicked into gear. They were poised to actually have cap space, even after trading for Julius Randle, and the swap rights they have with the Houston Rockets for their 2027 first-round pick removes one incentive to keep rebuilding.

Perhaps coach Jordi Fernández, who worked with Ellis in Sacramento, can help refine some of the rougher edges of his game and make him a positive contributor in next year and beyond.