Cavaliers' Keon Ellis trade just fixed an embarrassing offseason mistake

The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off a marvel of a trade a few days ahead of the NBA trade deadline, swapping De'Andre Hunter's oversized contract for two high-end roleplayers.

According to Shams Charania, the Cavs sent Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis. The Chicago Bulls acquired Dario Saric and two future second-round picks.

Less than a year after adding Hunter at the 2025 deadline, Cleveland has ended his tenure to add key contributors at areas of need. With Lonzo Ball's continued struggles, Schroder brings another veteran point guard presence known for grit, pesky defense and solid offensive production.

While Schroder is a positive addition, the Cavs' primary acquisition is undoubtedly the 23-year-old wing Keon Ellis. Originally undrafted in 2022, Ellis joined the Kings and slowly built up his NBA stock as one of the marquee trade targets across the Association this season. He is a disruptive perimeter defender with tenacious physicality and switchability. On offense, Ellis is shooting 36.8 percent on three-pointers.

According to Jake Fischer, the Cavaliers emerged as the front runners to acquire Ellis, determined to add the 3-and-D youngster to the roster.

The Cavaliers are showing increased aggression on the market, completely departing from their recent trend to stay silent and wait for a perfect opportunity. With Donovan Mitchell's next contract extension approaching, Cleveland is quickly developing a pitch to the superstar guard that he is exactly where he should be in order to compete for a title.

Ellis fits perfectly with Mitchell, giving him a reliable defensive partner and a trustworthy shooter on the wing. Max Strus and Jaylon Tyson have shown the value that a confident wing shooter brings to a Mitchell-centric team, and Ellis adds more depth to that identity in a way the Cavs were missing this season.

Keon Ellis fixes Cleveland's Isaac Okoro mistake

This past offseason, the Cavaliers made the decision to move on from young wing Isaac Okoro, trading him to the Chicago Bulls for Lonzo Ball. Okoro had never developed as a true offensive threat for the Cavs despite being an elite point-of-attack defender. On paper, Ball gave Cleveland a top-level guard role player who could lead the bench unit and deliver quality defense on the other end. Instead, he has fallen out of favor and seems to be the next player out the door.

Okoro's departure cost the Cavs more than expected, however. Even if Ball's Cavs tenure had been better so far, he is not the same type of defender as his counterpart. Okoro builts his reputation as a star stopper, defending the opponent's best perimeter scorer and forcing tough shots.

In the wake of the Lonzo trade, the Cavaliers never resolved the lack of POA defense that Okoro left behind. With Ellis now joining the wine and gold, Cleveland fixed their biggest defensive flaw. Without Okoro, the Cavs' perimeter defense fell, allowing the third-highest opponent three-point percentage in the league at 37.7 percent. Cleveland's defensive rotations slowed and often left open shots without resistance.

Ellis provides the solution to the Cavaliers' self-made struggle. In effect, the Cavs could view Ellis as the completed product that Okoro had hoped to become. Ellis is a tough defender but also provides confident, reliable offensive production without needing high usage. Pairing the 6-foot-4 Ellis alongside Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland in the backcourt gives the Cavs more lineup versatility without sacrificing defensive prowess.

On an expiring minimum contract, the Cavaliers will now be in the best position to sign Ellis to his next NBA contract, as well, using Bird Rights to offer a higher salary than rival suitors. With Cleveland's uncomfortable position in the second apron, finding low-cost players and investing in their long-term future gives the Cavaliers flexibility to maintain contention status in a new landscape.

Ellis saves the Cleveland Cavaliers' biggest defensive embarrassment. Schroder gives veteran leadership in the guard rotation that Lonzo failed to bring. Adding two valuable role players for the price of Hunter and second-round draft capital may very well prove to be the biggest non-star win of the deadline.