The Sacramento Kings checked a big box on their offseason to-do list Thursday with a deal for key rotation player Malik Monk.
The 2024 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award runner-up plans to sign a four-year, $78 million deal that includes a player option, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
ESPN Sources: Free agent G Malik Monk intends to sign a four-year, $78 million contract, including a player option, to return to the Sacramento Kings. Monk posted career-highs with 15 points and five assists on his way to runner-up honors for NBA Sixth Man of the Year. pic.twitter.com/J8KuOwPl0H
—Adrián Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 21, 2024
Monk joined the Kings in 2022 after one season with the Los Angeles Lakers and saw his game take a step forward. Coupled with a full season from Domantas Sabonis and the addition of head coach Mike Brown, the Kings reached new heights in 2023 by breaking a 16-year playoff drought.
Last season was less successful, even though Monk had a career year with career highs in points and assists per game. The Kings were relegated to the play-in, where they defeated the Golden State Warriors and then the New Orleans Pelicans ended their season.
Monk narrowly missed out on winning the Sixth Man of the Year award, with winner Naz Reid receiving just two more first-place votes than him.
Monk was easily the Kings’ biggest pending free agent, and with a new deal for Brown, they are fully prepared to bring back all the important contributors to the team. The question now is whether that’s a good plan, as the team won’t lack competition in the West next season after finishing ninth in the conference last spring.
