The Los Angeles Lakers have been accused of not making good deals during the offseason. The Lakers assembled a roster that just is not gelling well, and they’re realizing the consequences of that right now. But one free-agent signing who has actually been a massive bright spot for them has been Malik Monk.
The Lakers signed Malik Monk in free agency, signing him to a 1-year minimum contract after he left the Charlotte Hornets. And Monk has proven extremely valuable for them, making big shots and putting up big numbers for them whenever he is on the court.
Monk is only signed to a 1-year deal right now, meaning he will be a free agent again after the season is over. But if Monk’s wishes can come true, then Laker fans have nothing to be worried about. In a recent interview with The Athletic, Malik Monk noted how happy he is to be playing in Los Angeles and wants to continue with the team for the foreseeable future.
“I love it here. I’d love to play here again, man. You never know what happens. It’s a business, at the end of the day. But I’d definitely love to play here.”
– @AhmadMonk on his future with the Lakers pic.twitter.com/l1CVRqdJXb
— The Laker Files (@LakerFiles) February 21, 2022
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t look at my future with anything. I love it here. I’d love to play here again, man. But you never know what’s gonna happen with the NBA. You never know what happens. It’s a business, at the end of the day. But I’d definitely love to play here. But I don’t know. It’s hard to call the future.”
Monk has been one of the Lakers’ most consistent performers. On top of that, he has given them an almost-automatic floor-spacing option, something they severely needed after last season, when they were the worst three-point shooting team in the entire league.
If the Lakers want to keep Monk, they will probably have to offer more money to him to stay. But given how well he has performed, the Lakers front office will do their best to make cap space for Monk in order to ensure he gets the payday he deserves.
