LOS ANGELES, CA – His career was headed toward the category of a bust. A once heavily scouted college player from Kentucky who played under the great John Calipari and selected eleventh overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2017 NBA Draft, Malik Monk’s pro career was anything but consistent.
Between injuries, a suspension, and inconsistencies, Monk was about to join a long list of talented lottery picks who didn’t pan out in the NBA. It turns all he needed was a change of scenery after falling out of favor in Charlotte.
(Courtesy of Los Angeles Lakers)
Amidst the numerous acquisitions and signings Lakers GM Rob Pelinka made this past summer, one of the more overlooked yet substantial free agent pickups was the 23-year-old Monk coming to LA on a one year deal worth only $1.7 million.
It was a bargain considering his age, scoring ability, and underrated defense, but that also shows other teams were unwilling to give him a chance to redeem himself after a rough tenure with the Hornets.
In a season that has not gone well for the Lakers, Monk has been a bright spot with his clutch scoring, solid three-point shooting, ability to move effectively without the basketball, and terrific on-court chemistry with superstar LeBron James in the pick and roll. The numbers have also reflected that as Monk is shooting a career-high 48 percent from the field and averaging 11.6 points per game.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel has even inserted him into the starting lineup, shortly after Monk cleared health and safety protocols. More importantly, Vogel is giving Monk more fourth quarter minutes, often being apart of the Lakers’ closing lineup and knocking down clutch shots while displaying a solid defensive effort.
“He’s always live, he’s always a threat,” Vogel said of Monk. “I like his shot selection and the decisions he’s making with the basketball. He’s doing a great job delivering the ball to LeBron rolling. That combination has been really good for us and shooting shots he knows he can make, so the efficiency is pretty high. The more he’s producing, his minutes are going up and up.”
When LA defeated the Sacramento Kings for their third straight win recently, it was Monk who, along with James, saved the day for the Lakers scoring 11 of his 24 points in the final period on 4/4 shooting and 3/3 from three-point range.
With a roster that many have questioned age, fit, and chemistry, Monk has been a clear standout for the Lakers almost from the beginning. He’s playing with tremendous confidence and is embracing the big stage of playing in Los Angeles in a season where the expectations are extremely high.
It’s obvious if the Lakers are going anywhere this year, they will need Monk to keep playing at this high level.
Monk is also reminding the league why he was a lottery pick, what he’s capable of doing when given an opportunity to play, and the importance of being in the right environment. The Lakers clearly got a steal last year, and they’re hoping Monk can be that X-factor in pursuit of a championship.
