4 Sacramento Kings who are expendable, 3 they can’t afford to trade
By Elaine Blum
The Kings can’t afford to trade Malik Monk
Malik Monk is set to hit free agency in the summer, and the hope is that he will stay in Sacramento. He is their third-leading scorer, their spark off the bench, and essentially the backup ball handler at this point.
Even though he is not a starter, he closes many games and can get hot in the clutch to secure a win for his team. The Kings need that. They need his scoring ability, playmaking, and energy.
Whether it is a trade or in free agency, the Kings should do everything in their power to keep Monk around. At this point of the season, with Murray struggling to shoot, you could argue that Monk is the Kings’ third most important player behind only Fox and Sabonis.
Monk is the Kings’ Swiss Army knife. He is not a great defender, but he can fit into pretty much every lineup the Kings could throw out there. He has great chemistry with Fox, he can stretch the floor, and he is amazing in the pick-and-roll with the backup bigs.
Malik Monk needs to stay in Sacramento