3 former Lakers from last year’s team that are floundering this season
By Jason Reed
3. Malik Monk
Malik Monk was a lone bright spot for the Los Angeles Lakers last season. In a year that was full of disappointment with new faces that did not live up to the hype, Malik Monk played better than most expected and proved to be one of the best value signings in the entire NBA.
It is a double-edged sword when this happens, though, as Monk produced for the Lakers but it ultimately didn’t matter as the team missed the playoffs. His production instead mattered for his free-agent market, as he priced himself out of LA and signed with the rivaled Sacramento Kings.
While the sample size is still small, perhaps it is a good thing the Lakers did not have the cap space to spend on Monk because he has not played up to his price tag. Monk has looked more like the Charlotte version of himself than the Los Angeles version for a Kings team that has been disappointing as a whole.
Monk went from playing 28 minutes a game to 18 and with that slash in playing time his numbers have fallen as well. The former Laker is averaging 8.3 points, 3.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game.
What is even worse is hit shooting numbers. Monk is shooting 34.3% from beyond the arc and 34.7% from the field as a whole. Combine that with his poor defending and Monk has been a net negative for the Kings.