Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder trade for Cavs after dealing De’Andre Hunter to Kings

The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to trade that acquire Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroeder from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for De’Andre Huntermultiple league sources confirmed to ClutchPoints on Saturday. The Chicago Bulls dealt Kings forward Dario Saric and received two future second-round picks.

Ellis and Schroder will add much-needed depth to the Cavs’ backcourt, as Cleveland has relied heavily on secondary starters and Darius Garland is out with a sprained right finger. According to a source close to the team, Ellis brings strong defense at the point of attack and a perimeter shooting threat, while Schroder adds ball handling and toughness to the wine and gold roster.

This season has been a strange one for Ellis, who has gone from a rotation mainstay to inconsistent minutes. He is averaging nearly seven minutes less per game than last year, giving up playing time to the younger Kings on the roster that head coach Doug Christie has an affinity for. As a result, his field goal percentage dropped by eight points and his 3-point percentage dropped to 36.8% from 43.3% the previous season.

At 6-foot-5, 175 pounds, Ellis should be a great option with Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson’s guard-heavy lineups. He is instinctive on defense. According to Cleaning the Glass, Sacramento’s opponents turned the ball over on 17.1% of their possessions with the 26-year-old swingman on the floor; that mark sits in the 92nd percentile in the NBA. Moreover, when he sat, the Kings’ opponents had 4.3% fewer possessions; the 99 percent statistic.

Schroder will answer for the 11th team in his career in Cleveland. The 32-year-old veteran is a steady point guard, with a mix of attacking downhill and pulling up behind the arc. Just last week, Schroder scored 21 points on 6-of-12 shooting with four assists against the Cavs at Rocket Arena.

Even though he’s in the middle of his 13th NBA season, he still has the right amount of burst to fend off defenders and get to the free throw line. He also took better care of the basketball in the later stages of his career. In addition, Schroder brings eight years of playoff experience to Cleveland.

The Cavs know Hunter was better than what he showed, and unfortunately, they had to part ways, but timing is of the essence with February. His inconsistencies have been alarming, and with a hefty $24 million contract through 2027, this was a move that addressed more pressing needs and helped the payroll. Ellis is on an expiring rookie contract, and Schroder will make around $15 million a year through 2028.

On the other hand, the move leaves Cleveland with a crowded guard room with Mitchell, Garland, Schroder, Ellis, Lonzo Ball, Craig Porter Jr. and Tyrese Proctor. According to a team source, the Cavs need to figure that part out next.

Cavs trade grade: B-