Malik Monk Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kings Notes: Ellis, Huerter, Injuries, Jones, Brown, Murray, DeRozan

October 7th, 2024 at 11:51am CST by Luke Adams

There’s no question that Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan, and Keegan Murray will be part of the Kings‘ starting lineup this fall, but the fifth member of that group has yet to be locked in, as James Ham of The Kings Beat and Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee write.

Malik Monk, Kevin Huerter, and Keon Ellis are all realistic candidates to start at shooting guard for Sacramento. However, it seems likely that Monk will reprise the sixth-man role he thrived in last season. Huerter, meanwhile, hasn’t yet been cleared for full-contact work after undergoing surgery in late March to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

That may make Ellis the frontrunner to start alongside Fox in Sacramento’s backcourt. As Anderson writes, Ellis’ ability to play good defense and to operate on offense without the ball in his hands also makes him a good fit in the team’s starting group, whereas Monk and Huerter could handle a larger offensive load with the second unit.

“If you think about it, Keon, out of all three of those guys, is probably the one who will command the least amount of shots and/or the time the ball is in his hands,” head coach Mike Brown said last week. “He’s shown the last two years that he’s a capable catch-and-shoot shooter, and if you leave him open, he’ll make you pay on the catch-and-shoot shot from the three-point line. He shot 40-something percent from three in both years, so for us that is a little bit of a factor, making sure we put the right combinations on the floor that fit instead of just trying to throw guys out there because we think those guys can all score the best.”

Here’s more on the Kings:

Huerter, who was cleared for on-court workouts near the end of August, said he’s feeling good about the progress he’s made and is eager to advance to the final stage of his rehab process, per Anderson. “The last step for me is really just getting 5-on-5 full contact,” Huerter said. “I haven’t gone contact against a player yet. I haven’t been cleared to do that, but everything else. I’ve been 1-on-0 for four months now. … Itching to get back and go against somebody else.”
The Kings are battling the injury bug this fall, with Huerter and Devin Carter recovering from shoulder surgeries and Trey Lyles (groin), Jordan McLaughlin (ankle), and Orlando Robinson (knee) all dealing with health issues of their own. According to Ham, McLaughlin is expected to be back within the next few days and Huerter should be cleared for contact around the middle of the month, while Lyles will probably be sidelined until the end of the preseason schedule. Robinson and Carter will remain out for the start of the season.
As Anderson details in a separate story for The Sacramento Bee, Brown delivered a profanity-laced tirade near the end of a Saturday scrimmage. As the Kings’ head coach later explained, two-way player Mason Jones capped off a “really, really good day” by turning the ball over and giving up on the last couple plays of the day. Brown responded by calling out Jones and several of his vets. “I got on Foxy and Domas and DeMar a little bit because those three guys can’t let that slide,” he said. “I shouldn’t have to be the one saying that we all have to hold each other accountable. … We all have to hold each other accountable all the time, and if our vets see something like that from a young guy in Mason, then you’ve got to let him know, ‘Hey, Mace, you had a good day, but we can’t finish like that.'”
In another story for The Sacramento Bee, Anderson explores how Murray can continue to grow as a player as the former No. 4 overall pick enters his third NBA season.
A Los Angeles native, DeRozan hasn’t played for one of his hometown teams since entering the NBA in 2009, but he’s thrilled to be living in California again as a member of the Kings, so close to his family in L.A., he recently told Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “It means so much,” DeRozan said. “Even one of my daughters, she is asking every day when she can come up — even a day where she could just come up for a day, spend time with me and go back. Her knowing that gives her excitement. That makes me extremely happy.”

Pacific Notes: Sabonis, DeRozan, Monk, Kings, Mann, Lakers

September 29th, 2024 at 11:49am CST by Rory Maher

Kings center Domantas Sabonis recently spoke to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee about “Starting 5,” the Netflix series in which he stars alongside LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards. The show’s premiere is Oct. 9.

As for Sacramento’s offseason, Sabonis said he’s he looking forward to playing with six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan, whom the Kings acquired from Chicago in a three-team sign-and-trade.

“It’s amazing,” Sabonis said. “Having a veteran like that, I’ve wanted that for a long time. He has a Hall of Fame career, and to bring that IQ — I was with him in L.A. for a couple weeks working out at USC and I learned so much personally in those couple weeks of workouts. Having him be around the team and having that rub off on everyone is going to be good. He’s here for the right reasons and he wants to win. That’s going to be good for us.”

Here’s more from the Pacific:

Sabonis also covered a number of topics in an interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, including his love for Sacramento, the team’s high expectations, and what to expect out of Keegan Murray entering his third season. Sabonis was ecstatic the Kings were able to re-sign Malik Monk to a four-year, $78MM deal in free agency. “Thank God that we kept him,” Sabonis said. “He’s a big piece of how we play, and his energy and vibes off the court. He’s a great locker room guy. He keeps us always locked in and happy. That’s something you can’t replace with a lot of players in the league. He brings a swagger and is always ready to go. For us off the bench last year, he had a burst coming in and helping the second unit. To maintain that with another year of experience under his belt and a new contract it usually gives you more confidence. I’m expecting big things from him.”
Terance Mann‘s new three-year, $47MM extension with the Clippers is fully guaranteed with no team or player option, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Mann will earn $15.5MM in 2025/26, when the extension begins, and he remains trade-eligible due to the terms of the agreement, Marks adds (via Twitter). Mann, a 27-year-old swingman, figures to take on an increased offensive role after the offseason departure of Paul George.
The Lakers intend to hire Vanessa Brooks to be their new head athletic trainer and senior physical therapist, sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic (Twitter link). Brooks had been with the Thunder since 2019.

Western Notes: Sabonis, Monk, DeRozan, Spencer, Prosper, James

August 26th, 2024 at 8:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kings big man Domantas Sabonis admits he expected sixth man Malik Monk to sign elsewhere in free agency. Monk stayed put on a four-year, $78MM contract.

“I was actually very surprised,” Sabonis said, per James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link). “I was talking to him a lot during the year and I thought we really lost him, but I’m happy he stayed.”

Sabonis believes the addition of DeMar DeRozan, acquired in a sign-and-trade, will diversify the offense, according to Logan Struck of Sports Illustrated.

“I think it’s going to be good for us,” Sabonis said. “It’s going to make us think differently on the court, move differently, and really read each other. We are used to playing one style but he does something at a Hall of Fame level that we’re going to have to play around and it’s going to make it so much harder for teams to guard us because we can basically score from anywhere.”

We have more Western Conference news:

Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard said the addition of former UConn guard Cam Spencer, who was drafted in the second round and signed on a two-way deal, gives the club another offensive option. “He can shoot, man,” Kennard said, per Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “He really can. I think he’ll be really close in our shooting competitions. Well let him get in a couple and see how he can hang.”
Olivier-Maxence Prosper spent most of last season in the G League after the Mavericks drafted him in the first round. He’ll have a tough time cracking the rotation in his second year with the additions of Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, and Quentin Grimes. However, the club is still optimistic about his future and the wing’s development remains an intriguing element to monitor, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Sports Journal.
The Lakers re-signed LeBron James on a two-year deal this summer but the franchise seems poised to waste the future Hall of Famer’s remaining years, Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times opines. The team needs another star to compete with the other Western Conference contenders and the front office has done very little to upgrade the roster this offseason, Plaschke adds.

Kings Notes: Monk, DeRozan, Triano, Markkanen

July 7th, 2024 at 5:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Malik Monk might have found a better offer on the open market but he was content to stay with the Kings on a four-year, $78MM contract. Monk choose comfort over a few more dollar signs.

“It just felt right. Everything felt right,” Monk told Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee and other media members. “I don’t go anywhere and feel uncomfortable. I go everywhere and feel comfortable, and that’s a home, I feel like, so I’m back.”

Monk might have received close to $25MM per year and a starting role with some teams. Instead, he’ll likely resume his role as sixth man on the Kings. Monk informed the team 10 days before free agency began that he was staying put.

“Being a team player,” Monk said. “I could have took my money somewhere, but it felt like home here. Letting the organization know early was the least I could do, for sure, because we need a few more pieces and they’re looking for a few more pieces, so I think they’re doing their job.”

We have more on the Kings:

The Athletic’s John Hollinger is conflicted over the Kings’ decision to pursue a sign-and-trade for DeMar DeRozan. The addition of DeRozan probably doesn’t vault them into the top five in the Western Conference, even during the regular season, Hollinger opines. However, they’re too good to tank, so there’s nothing wrong with upgrading the team methodically for a future run at the title.
The team’s recruitment of DeRozan included having Jay Triano, the Kings’ lead assistant coach and DeRozan’s first NBA head coach, at the airport, according to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. De’Aaron Fox also played a key role in DeRozan’s recruitment. DeRozan agreed to a three-year, $74MM deal with the third season partially guaranteed.
In the same story, Slater notes that the Kings made a strong pitch early last week to acquire the Jazz’sLauri Markkanen in a trade. However, they were unwilling to give up Keegan Murray in a proposed deal. Instead, they made a substantial picks-based offer. They put a deadline on pursuing a trade with Utah and the Jazz didn’t meet it. There’s growing skepticism league-wide that Jazz executive Danny Ainge will actually move Markkanen, Slater adds.

Kings Re-Sign Malik Monk To Four-Year Contract

July 6th, 2024 at 12:32pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 6: The Kings have officially re-signed Monk, the team announced today (via Twitter).

According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link), Monk told reporters today that he’s fully recovered from the MCL injury that ended his season. He added that he could’ve taken more money from another team but that Sacramento “felt like home.”

JUNE 20: Free agent guard Malik Monk intends to re-sign with the Kings, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that Monk has agreed to a four-year contract worth approximately $78MM. The deal will include a fourth-year player option, Wojnarowski adds.

Monk, 26, spent his first four NBA seasons in Charlotte and one year with the Lakers before signing a two-year, $19.4MM contract with the Kings in 2022. He has enjoyed two of the best seasons of his career in Sacramento, emerging as a crucial scorer and play-maker off the bench and earning Sixth Man of the Year votes in both seasons — he finished fifth in 2023 and was the runner-up award for the award in 2024.

Monk set new career highs with 15.4 points and 5.1 assists per game for the Kings in 2023/24. While his three-point percentage has slipped a little since his final year with the Hornets (40.1%) and his one season in Los Angeles (39.1%), he has still knocked down 35.4% of his 5.5 attempts per contest during his time in Sacramento while taking his game to new heights as a ball-handler and play-maker.

Having just spent two years in Sacramento so far, Monk has Early Bird rights this offseason, which means the Kings are limited to giving him a 75% raise on his 2023/24 salary. That works out to a starting salary of $17,405,203 and a four-year total of $77,975,309.

There was a belief that another team might outbid the Kings’ max offer if Monk had made it to the open market. However, he either got early signals that a more lucrative offer wouldn’t be out there or simply decided that he preferred to remain in Sacramento, regardless of the other options that may have been available on June 30.

The NBA’s free agency rules changed this offseason, allowing teams to negotiate with their own free agents beginning one day after the end of the NBA Finals instead of having to wait until June 30. That allowed the Kings to strike an early deal with Monk, though the contract won’t be officially signed until July 6.

Monk is the second free agent to reach a tentative agreement with his team this week, joining Pascal Siakam of the Pacers. Unless one of those deals falls through, two of the top 10 players on our list of 2024’s top 50 free agents are now off the board. Monk came in at No. 10 on that list.

Kings Rumors: No. 13 Pick, Caruso, Fox, Siakam, Kuzma, LaVine

June 24th, 2024 at 4:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings‘ No. 13 overall pick is “very available” in trade talks, according to Anthony Slater and Sam Amick of The Athletic, who report that Sacramento included that lottery selection in an offer for Alex Caruso before the Bulls decided to send the veteran guard to Oklahoma City instead.

As Slater and Amick detail, the Kings have brought in several late-lottery prospects for pre-draft workouts, including Purdue center Zach Edey. Former Duke standout Jared McCain also recently visited Sacramento for a workout, reports Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. However, there’s “more of an appetite” within the organization to add a veteran who could help the team win right away instead of a rookie, according to The Athletic’s report.

The ideal outcome for Sacramento, Slater and Amick write, would be acquiring a “mid-prime” player who can grow with the core of De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, and Malik Monk. The Kings believe they have a three-to-six year window to contend with those players and would be willing to attach extra draft assets to this year’s No. 13 pick for the right trade target.

Here’s more on the Kings from The Athletic:

Fox will be extension-eligible starting in July, but he has decided he won’t sign a new contract this offseason, sources tell Slater and Amick. The star guard has two guaranteed years left on his current deal, so there’s no urgency to get anything done yet. Fox wants to see how the roster takes shape and could also still qualify for a super-max extension if he makes an All-NBA team in 2024/25.
The Kings came close to acquiring Pascal Siakam from Toronto before he was sent to Indiana, having backed off in large part because they weren’t confident about their chances of re-signing him. League sources tell The Athletic that there’s some level of regret within the organization about not pulling the trigger and trying to convince the star forward to sign long-term.
Ever since nearly trading for Kyle Kuzma in 2021, Kings general manager Monte McNair has maintained some level of interest in the Wizards forward, who is expected to be on Sacramento’s radar again this summer. League sources also confirm to Slater and Amick that Bulls guard Zach LaVine is a possible target for the Kings, though they’d likely have to be incentivized to take on his maximum-salary contract, which still has three years remaining.
After coming off the bench for the past two seasons, Monk has expressed a desire to start, but he agreed to re-sign with the Kings without having received any assurances about his role going forward, per Slater and Amick.

Central Rumors: LaVine, Bulls, Pistons, Cade, Bucks, Cavs, More

June 24th, 2024 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls continue to seek a deal involving Zach LaVine, but last week’s four-year, $78MM contract agreement between the Kings and Malik Monk may have removed a prime suitor from the picture, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who says some rival executives believe retaining Monk will take Sacramento out of talks for LaVine. As Scotto has previously reported, Kings wing Kevin Huerter has fans within Chicago’s front office, so if the two teams did explore a trade involving LaVine, it seems safe to assume Huerter would be involved.

In other Bulls news, Chicago is interested in re-signing center Andre Drummond, league sources tell Scotto. The big man will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after spending the past two seasons backing up Nikola Vucevic.

Scotto also states that – prior to last week’s Alex Caruso/Josh Giddey swap – there was a belief around the league that the Bulls and Thunder would consider a possible sign-and-trade deal involving Patrick Williams. It’s unclear if that idea is off the table now or if the two clubs will look into making a second offseason trade.

Finally, Scotto reports that before they struck deals to add Wes Unseld Jr. and Dan Craig to Billy Donovan‘s coaching staff, the Bulls also reached out and talked to former head coaches Nate McMillan and Dwane Casey.

Here are a few more items of interest from around the Central:

The Pistons – along with the Magic – were expected to be in the mix for Monk before he reached an agreement to return to Sacramento, according to Scotto, who says Detroit will continue to explore the trade and free agent markets for shooting help this offseason.
Elsewhere on the Pistons front, Scotto writes that a number of executives around the NBA believe Detroit will come to terms on a maximum-salary rookie scale extension for former No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham.
The Bucks, still very much in win-now mode, are open to the idea of trading the No. 23 pick in the draft, league sources tell Scotto. Executives with rival teams also get the sense that Milwaukee would be willing to move Bobby Portis and/or Pat Connaughton in order to upgrade the roster, though Scotto notes that both players have come up in trade talks in the past and nothing has come of it to this point.
James Borrego was considered the frontrunner for the Cavaliers‘ head coaching job last week before the front office met with team owner Dan Gilbert, per Shams Charania, Joe Vardon, and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. After that meeting between management and Gilbert, Kenny Atkinson‘s candidacy “gained considerable momentum,” The Athletic’s trio adds. Assistant coaches Jordan Ott and Trevor Hendry, who worked with Atkinson in Brooklyn, are viewed as potential additions to his new staff in Cleveland, notes Scotto.

Pacific Notes: McGee, Redick, Thompson, Suns

June 15th, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

At 36, Kings center JaVale McGee is one of the NBA’s oldest players, but he doesn’t feel like he’s close to the end of his career, writes Marcus D. Smith of The Sacramento Bee. McGee, a first-round pick in the 2008 draft, just wrapped up his 16th season. He’s played for nine teams and won three titles, but there’s a lot he still wants to accomplish, including joining a select list of players who’ve spent two decades in the league.

“Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) played 20 years also and (he) played at a very high level for 20 years,” McGee said. “This is before you had a (physical therapist) for every player and the ACL surgery that you can come back from in six months, you know what I’m saying? So there’s a lot of progress and a lot of things in the world now where it’s easier. I don’t say it’s easy, but it’s easier to last that long, so I definitely think it’s possible.”

McGee will be an unrestricted free agent after signing a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal with the Kings last summer. He hopes to stay in Sacramento, a city where he spent part of his childhood when his mother played for the WNBA’s Monarchs, and he wants to help the Kings get back to the playoffs after being eliminated in this year’s play-in tournament. He talked about the team’s chances, saying it will be vital to re-sign free agent guard Malik Monk and make a few other roster additions.

“Definitely getting Malik back is important,” McGee said. “… Getting some more dogs on the team is really important also. I feel like the squad is well put together. We just need to make sure everybody’s on the same page.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

As expected, J.J. Redick had a formal interview with the Lakers on Saturday to discuss their head coaching job, sources tell Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times (subscription required). Multiple members of the organization reportedly talked with Redick, including general manager Rob Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss.
Heading into free agency, longtime Warriors guard Klay Thompson has stopped following the team’s Instagram account, according to Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. Gordon points out that unfollowing social media accounts is becoming a common practice for NBA players during negotiations, so it may not be a sign that Thompson intends to leave the Bay Area. However, he reportedly turned down a two-year, $48MM offer before the start of the season, and several suitors figure to be waiting if he can’t reach a new agreement before June 30.
Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports examines opportunities the Suns might have to trade up or down in the draft. Bourguet notes that past deals have gutted the team’s supply of draft assets to the point that it only controls the 22nd pick this year and its first-rounder in 2031. He identifies the Pacers, Bucks, Timberwolves, Knicks, Jazz and Wizards as potential trading partners if Phoenix wants to move down, while the Spurs’ pick at No. 8 and the Trail Blazers’ selection at No. 14 could entice the Suns to trade up.

Central Notes: Bucks, Pistons’ FA Targets, Williams, Donovan III

June 5th, 2024 at 10:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

An expensive core of players will limit the Bucks‘ ability to add talent this summer, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Although there’s a need to upgrade after a chaotic season that ended with a first-round playoff exit, the front office will likely be sorting through minimum-salary options to fill out the roster.

Milwaukee’s salary situation starts with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, who are each owed $48.8MM next season, which combines for about 69% of the projected $141MM salary cap. Adding $31.7MM for Khris Middleton and $23MM for Brook Lopez puts the Bucks above $152MM, exceeding the cap with just four players.

Beyond that, Milwaukee will pay $12.6MM to Bobby Portis and $9.4MM to Pat Connaughton, plus minimum contracts for MarJon Beauchamp ($2.7MM) and Chris Livingston ($1.9MM). Andre Jackson Jr. only has a $946K guarantee on his $1.9MM salary until January, and A.J. Green‘s $2.1MM contract is non-guaranteed until July 8.

Keeping all those players would cost the Bucks about $180.85MM, Nehm adds, which puts them over the projected first tax apron of $178.655MM with at least four more slots that have to be filled. If Milwaukee holds on to its 23rd ($2.95MM) and 33rd ($1.16MM) picks in the draft and signs two minimum-salary veterans, the team will exceed the $189.485MM second apron without including $2.3MM in unlikely incentives for Middleton.

Nehm notes that the Bucks need to add point-of-attack defenders, help on the wing, and a backup center, but it will tough to find any of those things while operating under the apron restrictions.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Kings guard Malik Monk, Nets center Nic Claxton and Magic guard Gary Harris should be targets for the Pistons in free agency, James L. Edwards of The Athletic states in a mailbag column. Monk would provide much-needed three-point shooting and can attack off the dribble, Edwards notes, while Claxton would be a proven rim protector and Harris fills a need as a three-and-D wing. Edwards also expects Detroit to re-sign free agent forward Simone Fontecchio.
In the same piece, Edwards suggests the odds are about 50-50 on head coach Monty Williams remaining with the Pistons. Edwards states that it works in Williams’ favor that he still has five years remaining on his six-year, $78MM contract and he didn’t have a good roster to work with. However, he got 62 games out of Cade Cunningham and still produced fewer wins than Dwane Casey did before the last coaching change.
Billy Donovan III, the son of the Bulls‘ head coach, will be the next coach of the team’s G League affiliate, according to Ryan Taylor of NBC Sports Chicago. He’ll replace former Windy City Bulls head coach Henry Domercant, who could wind up on Chicago’s coaching staff, Taylor adds.

Wolves’ Naz Reid Named Sixth Man Of The Year

April 24th, 2024 at 5:46pm CST by Rory Maher

Timberwolves big man Naz Reid has been named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year for the 2023/24 season, the league announced on Wednesday evening (via Twitter).

A former undrafted free agent, Reid averaged 13.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 0.9 BPG on .477/.414/.736 shooting in 81 games this season (24.2 MPG).

Reid is the first player in Timberwolves franchise history to win the Sixth Man award, per a team press release.

The 24-year-old was a major reason why Minnesota didn’t skip a beat when Karl-Anthony Towns was sidelined with a knee injury late in the season. The Wolves went 14-6 without Towns and 56-26 overall, good for the No. 3 seed in the West.

The voting was remarkably close (Twitter link via the NBA). In fact, it was the smallest margin between first- and second-place finishers since the current voting format was implemented 21 years ago, according to the league (via Twitter).

Reid finished with 45 first-place votes, 39 second-place votes and 10 third-place votes for a total of 352 points. Runner-up Malik Monk had the exact same number of second- and third-place votes, but finished with two fewer first-place votes for 342 total points.

Kings guard Monk appeared in 72 games this season for Sacramento, all off the bench. He averaged 15.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG and 5.1 APG on .443/.350/.829 shooting in 26.0 MPG.

Bucks big man Bobby Portis, who finished third in Sixth Man voting last season, finished a distant third again in ’23/24, receiving 81 total points. He averaged 13.8 PPG and 7.4 RPG on .508/.407/.790 shooting without missing a game this season for Milwaukee (24.5 MPG).

Clippers wing Norman Powell (65 points) and Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (40 points) finished fourth and fifth in voting, respectively. No other player received more than three points.

Powell actually received the most third-place votes of any player, but fewer first- and second-place votes than Portis, which is why he finished behind Milwaukee’s forward/center.

Jose Alvarado, Russell Westbrook, T.J. McConnell, Jonathan Isaac, Jaime Jaquez, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bojan Bogdanovic all received at least one vote.