Cavs free agent Keon Ellis signs 2-year deal with Brooklyn Nets

[ASFN Admin]

CLEVELAND -- A key figure in the Cavaliers' trade deadline dealings will now be headed to a new Eastern Conference team.

Cavs free agent forward Keon Ellis is reportedly signing a fully-guaranteed two-year, $18 million contract to join the Brooklyn Nets, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

Free agent guard Keon Ellis has agreed to a two-year, $18 million guaranteed deal with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/YdLqrFZHhq

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

Ellis was acquired in the three-team De'Andre Hunter trade from the Sacramento Kings back in February, along with guard Dennis Schroder.

Keon Ellis contract, stats​

Ellis, 26, averaged 8.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals in 29 games with the Cavs following the trade. He averaged 24.8 minutes on the floor during the regular season but had that cut to 7.4 minutes in the playoffs.

The deal, negotiated by Mark Bartelstein and Torrian Jones of @PrioritySports, contains a full mutual option that fully guarantees the $18M for Ellis while allowing both sides to have a conversation about a new deal next summer, but either party can opt-in (not opt-out). https://t.co/Nsn42dwy0v

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026

Charania added in his reporting that the fully-guaranteed deal with Brooklyn contains a mutual option that either party can opt in to (but not out of). He notes that both sides are allowing for the deal to evolve into something new next summer.

Ryan Lewis covers the Cavaliers for the Akron Beacon Journal. He can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs free agent Keon Ellis signs 2-year deal with Brooklyn Nets

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