Due to the massive contracts of their three NBA All-Stars, the Los Angeles Lakers had minimal flexibility to fill out the rest of their roster. This led to them signing an array of veteran minimum deals, mostly for players past their prime. There was one player they decided to take a flier on, and it worked out in their favor.
Malik Monk had an up-and-down run during his four years with the Charlotte Hornets. Given their vast number of guards, the team decided to move on from his last summer. Not much of a market came about for the young guard, which led to him signing a one-year deal with the Lakers for the minimum.
The Los Angeles Lakers might not have had a good season, but Monk put up some of his best statistics as a pro. His 13.8 points per game are a career-high, and he shot just under 40% from beyond the arc on good volume.
After seeing how he performed with LA, the 23-year-old could land a decent payday this summer. According to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, the Dallas Mavericks are a team that could potentially sign him to a deal during free agency.
“Dallas, I would look out for them,” the GM said. “They need to create flexibility but once they do, they would have an interest in a guy like Monk.”
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From a fit perspective, the Mavericks make a lot of sense for Monk. He is a secondary ballhandler that can create his own offense and be utilized off the ball as a floor spacer, making him an ideal fit alongside Mavericks star Luka Doncic.
A move of this sort is something to monitor, depending on what happens with Jalen Brunson. If the Dallas Mavericks are unable to retain him, they are sure to be in the market for a backcourt partner to pair with Doncic. Monk might not be on the same level as Brunson but can provide similar elements, and at a more team-friendly price.
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Malik Monk had close to no suitors last offseason, but should garner interest from multiple teams this time around.
