Utilize Malik Monk more in a “Sixth-Man” type of role
Going out and adding Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo, and other key veterans this offseason have made the Los Angeles Lakers a very intriguing team, but one of their better offseason additions was a 23-year-old shooter on the perimeter.
Malik Monk spent the first four years of his career in Charlotte and is a free agent this offseason, he decided to join the Lakers on a minimum contract. This was a big pick-up for the Lakers not only because of Monk’s abilities to be a high-level three-point shooter, but because he can wear many different hats on offense.
With or without the ball in his hands, teams need to respect Monk’s ability to pull up and shoot from anywhere on the court, which opens up the court a little more for guys like James, Westbrook, and Davis to drive into the paint.
If teams collapse on these guys, then Monk will be wide-open in the corner for a three-point attempt and shooting 40% from long-range last season, he is not a guy many teams want to leave open.
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LeBron James missed two games last week against the Thunder and Spurs and in these two games, Malik Monk drew the start on the wing. In 39 minutes against the Spurs, Monk scored 17 points on 6-15 shooting, 4-10 from 3PT, and against the Thunder, Monk played 32 minutes and scored 9 points.
Right now with Kendrick Nunn, Wayne Ellington, Trevor Ariza, and Talen Horton-Tucker sidelined, the Lakers are thin in terms of their bench talents they could utilize as scorers, which is why they need to throw Malik Monk into a bigger role than he holds right now.
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With James out, he will likely draw more playing time, much like Carmelo Anthony will as well, but Monk is a guy who needs to be seeing 20-plus minutes per game. He is only 23-years-old, has fresh legs, and has proven to be a 40-plus percentage shooter from long-range, an area in which the Lakers will need to get better at all season long.
Their “Big 3” are the main spectacle, but guys like Carmelo Anthony and Malik Monk are key components to the Los Angeles Lakers being championship contenders this season.
