Trying to figure out the guard rotation for the Sacramento Kings this season is something many have tried to do. Few have been successful, with changes coming all over, guys entering and dropping the rotation like flies.
Keon Ellis has seen his minutes go up and down all year long. Second-year man Devin Carter has hardly been able to get on the floor. And even with a recent injury to Zach LaVine, Malik Monk has seen his minutes all but cut to zero.
Speaking of Monk, according to reporter Chris Haynes, the Kings have made the former Sixth Man of the Year runner-up available in trade talks.
Monk had some good years with the Kings following a successful season with the Lakers, and could have plenty to bring to the table for his next club.
Malik Monk Available in Trade Talks
Malik Monk has been scoring the ball at will since joining the Kings ahead of the 2022-23 season. He played a huge part in the team’s first postseason trip in seventeen years, putting the ball in the bucket whenever the team needed.
As the losses have piled up and the team’s rotation has changed from left to right though, Monk has found himself collecting DNP-CD’s for the first time here. It’s something that has surprised him, and Kings fans alike.
The former Kentucky guard inked a 4-year, $77 million deal to stay with Sacramento after the 2023-24 campaign. The deal runs through the end of the 2027-28 campaign, though that final season includes a player option.
This is a player the team has made available in trade talks, and could perhaps help them fetch some much-needed front court talent. With the modern NBA and salaries being what they are, an $18 million pear year amount is very easy to find matching contracts for.
Benching Monk certainly has not helped his trade value, but perhaps they want to make sure that the veteran stays healthy. Plenty of suitors would come calling for a player with this kind of ability, most certainly.
Projecting Malik Monk Suitors Ahead of Trade Deadline
Plenty of teams will come calling for Malik Monk ahead of the trade deadline as they try to bolster their rosters in pursuit of a championship.
It was only a few weeks ago, that Monk was dropping 25 points and leading his team in scoring. Doing so on a team with veterans like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan speaks volumes to the type of energy he can bring to the table.
Perhaps a return to the Lakers could be an order, if they would be willing to include future draft picks alongside players like Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, and/or Maxi Kleber. Vincent plus one of the bigs could match the salaries, while draft picks could provide more tradable assets for the team to use down the line.
Might the Orlando Magic be able to entice Sacramento with the defensive prowess of Jonathan Isaac, and one of their young forwards? The forward position is where the Kings most need a boost, after all.
The Milwaukee Bucks have plenty of tradable contracts, and Monk would instantly provide a lift to a team in dire need of it.
Whatever team does in fact make the choice to go for Malik Monk, will be getting a gamer that will be ready to contribute, and under team control through at least, the end of next season.
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