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It was a simple answer, really.
Keon Ellis came to play for the Nets for one major reason: Jordi Fernández.
“In this game — and it is a business — having someone like Jordi being the head coach, someone you’re familiar with, [is big]. You know all the schemes, you know what he’s about, you know what they want to run,” Ellis said Friday after practice. “It’s a safe space right there. He’s familiar with my game, I’m familiar with how he rocks. That was the No. 1 thing.”
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“He knows how I play, and I know how he wants his team to play. I know I can have a big impact in that way.”
Keon Ellis signed with the Nets this summer after spending last season with the Cavs, and later the Kings. Getty Images
The two were together with the Kings from 2022-24, when Fernández worked under then-Kings head coach Mike Brown — and Fernández left such an impact on Ellis in that time that he wanted a reunion.
The two sides agreed during the offseason to a two-year, $18 million contract, with a full mutual option for the second year. The 6-foot-4 Ellis, known for his defense and 3-point shotmaking, hopes this reunion can serve as a spark.
Last season didn’t go as planned as he averaged 6.7 points split between Sacramento and Cleveland after a February trade, one season after posting 8.3 ppg for the Kings. He shot 36.3 percent from 3-point range but had been at 42.9 percent over his first three NBA seasons.
Jordi Fernandez, while an assistant with the Kings, previously coached Ellis for two seasons. Getty Images
The Nets are banking on more than just his shooting touch. The hope is the 26-year-old can be a defensive stopper. Last season, Ellis ranked in the 93rd percentile in steals (2.7), in the 95th percentile in blocks (1.5) and the 96th percentile in both turnovers forced (1.6) and deflections (6.4) per 100 possessions. His stop percentile of 4.4 ranked near the top of the league.
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“I think Keon’s got the best hands in the NBA, and that’s hard to teach,” Fernández said. “At the same time, you want to be disciplined and follow the schemes, whatever the game plan is. I trust him. I know he’s very diligent…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/keon-ellis-finds-nets-safe-014859694.html
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Publish date : 2026-10-03 01:48:00
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