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Malik Monk, who is “underrated,” has improved most in his playwriting.


The Sacramento Kings’ chances of making the NBA playoffs seemed to be fading toward the end of the regular season. These hopes may have been further dashed when Malik Monk suffered an MCL injury, missing the team’s final two Play-In tournament games. In the end, the Kings lost their final Play-In game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

It is impossible to overstate Monk’s influence on the Kings this season. According to league insider Mark Medina, the “underrated” sharpshooter has improved all aspects of his game, but especially his playmaking, which has led to him being unintentionally tipped as the favorite for Sixth Man of the Year.

In a game that may have meant the difference between the Kings and an eighth seed in the postseason, the Kings were unable to overcome a Pelicans team without Zion Williamson.

Their early departure could be justified by the fact that they were missing key players because of injuries, including as Kevin Huerter’s shoulder injury and Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner Malik Monk, who missed the last nine games of the regular season because of an MCL strain.

The Kings’ identity of continuity may have been impacted by both losses, given the team was mainly maintained together after making the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

Another criticism, aired in response to the Kings’ 105-98 defeat, is that they were just too passive in their attack of the Pelicans. Kings head coach Mike Brown made reference to this.

This was particularly disheartening because they averaged 116.6 points per game this season, which put them ninth overall in the NBA and 18 points above their average in their final game of the 2023–24 season. They also were in the top 10 for points scored this season.With a number of pending free agents, such as JaVale McGee, Alex Len, and their top bench player, Monk, leading the list of names who could be leaving the ball club, the Kings’ teammates have publicly expressed their desire for the front office to keep the sharpshooter on the team, including All-Star Domantas Sabonis and his former Kentucky teammate, De’Aaron Fox. However, with limited cap space, it seems unlikely that the Kings will be able to run it back without trading someone like Harrison Barnes or even the aforementioned Sabonis, though the latter seems less likely given the 27-year-old’s historic double-double streak this season and his exponentia.

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