During the offseason, the Sacramento Kings attempted to trade Malik Monk to no avail, and for seemingly no logical reason. In the first two games of the regular season, Monk has made it crystal clear why that was a bad idea. And he remains the anchor of the Kings' bench.
The Kings' trying to trade Malik Monk never made a lot of sense. Reputedly, the goal was to move him to make room for Russell Westbrook. Obviously, the front office didn't need to do that as Monk and Westbrook are both currently members of the Kings' roster.
It just seemed odd to trade Monk of all people. He's going into his fourth season with the Kings and has proven to be a reliable, stable part of the roster. That was particularly important through a tumultuous 2025-2025 season that saw the Kings go through some major upheavals.
More than that, he became the heart and soul of the Kings through the Beam Team era and beyond. There's a reason why he's been on the Sixth Man of the Year radar on more than one occasion. He's proven why over the first two games of the season with his incredible play.
Malik Monk leads leads the Kings' bench
During the first game of the season, Monk put down a solid stat line. He closed out a road loss against the Suns with 19 points, 1 rebound, and two assists. His gameplay still seemed off a step, likely something left over from the illness that kept him out of the preseason's second half.
Game two of the regular season was a different story. In the Kings' home victory over the Jazz, Monk finished with 20 points, one rebound, three assists, two steals, and two blocks. His three-point shooting also improved dramatically, going from nine points to 18 points.
The energy Monk brings off the bench simply cannot be replicated or replaced. He is a catalyst for the second line, one that is key to victory for the Kings. Fans have to be happy with his performances, and likely wonder why the Kings ever wanted to trade him. Most people do.
It's hard to say exactly how this season will pan out for the Kings. Most pundits appear to expect a healthy implosion, but the team still has the capability to surprise everyone. Without Monk, that surprise would be much more difficult to pull off.