The Report That Surprised Nobody
The Sacramento Kings have made Malik Monk available ahead of the February 5th trade deadline, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes. If you've followed this team at all this season, this was inevitable.
The Kings are 8-23, dead last in the Western Conference. They have too many guards and not enough answers. Something had to give.
"They're looking to get younger, and they're looking to get more athletic," Haynes reported. "Malik Monk is someone who plays extremely hard. He's a very dynamic player, one of the best sixth men we have in this league, so he presents a ton of value. It's just a logjam there in Sacramento."
The Lakers Connection
Where there's Malik Monk, there's Lakers speculation. He spent the 2021-22 season in Los Angeles and was one of the bright spots on that otherwise disappointing squad.
Multiple reports have linked the Lakers to Monk, who's averaging 12.4 points per game while shooting a career-high 41.4% from three this season. That kind of shooting is exactly what LA needs.
The problem? Monk has two years left on his contract after this season at roughly $20 million annually. That's a significant financial commitment for a team already trying to manage its cap situation around LeBron James and Luka Dončić.
One proposed framework would send Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent to Sacramento in exchange for Monk and potentially Devin Carter. Whether that's enough for the Kings remains to be seen.
Why Sacramento Is Moving Him
The Kings' backcourt is a mess. Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schröder, Keon Ellis, rookie Nique Clifford—everyone is fighting for minutes. Coach Doug Christie recently dropped Monk from the rotation entirely, giving him DNP-CDs in multiple games.
It's not that Monk has been bad. His shooting is elite. But the roster construction makes no sense, and someone needs to go. With DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Schröder all harder to move, Monk becomes the logical trade chip.
"It's a definite thought," Christie said recently about potentially changing the rotation. Everything is on the table in Sacramento right now.
What Comes Next
The Kings are reportedly making everyone available except Keegan Murray and Nique Clifford. That means LaVine, DeRozan, Schröder and Domantas Sabonis could all theoretically be moved.
But Monk is the most realistic asset. He's 27, he's proven, and he's on a reasonable deal for his production level. Contending teams will be interested.
For Lakers fans dreaming of a reunion: don't get too excited yet. Rob Pelinka has limited assets, and the Kings want young talent and athleticism in return. The deadline is February 5th. Plenty of time for this to get interesting.