Though Malik Monk was considered one of the best pick-ups of the Los Angeles Lakers over the summer, he was overshadowed by veteran shooter Wayne Ellington, who many believe will take the starting shooting guard spot. After all, Ellington does not only have a wealth of NBA experience, but he's a dead-eye shooter, too, making him the perfect piece to put beside LeBron James and Russell Westbrook. However, after Monk's stellar preseason debut, we may have to rethink why the 23-year-old could even fare better than Ellington. While it isn't exactly wise to put too much stock on a single preseason game, Monk's performance gave us a good preview of what he can do. Here are three reasons why the Los Angeles Lakers must start Malik Monk.
1. Malik Monk has a smooth stroke
Monk's preseason debut was probably the first time some Lakers fans saw him in action — particularly his smooth stroke. His pristine shooting mechanics is an eye candy. And more importantly, the ball swishes the net more often than not after it leaves his hands. Monk is shooting 40.3 percent from the field and 33.9 percent from deep for his career. While these aren't exactly mind-blowing numbers, we have to note that Monk is just in his fifth year in the league. Slowly and surely, he's getting his groove.
Last season could be tagged as his first breakout year. He shot 43.4 percent from the field and 40.1 percent from deep — both of which are career-highs. There's great optimism that Monk's numbers will continue to climb this year for the Lakers. Obviously, his own work ethic has a lot to do with this. The mere presence of James and Westbrook, too, will likely give Monk tons of wide-open shots. Perhaps the good thing about Monk is his mid-range jumper. They say that the art of the midrange is a dead art. But the reality is, the more versatile your offense, the better you are as a player. He could thrive in the Lakers starting five.
2. He can initiate the offense
One of Monk's advantages over Ellington is that the 23-year-old can absolutely initiate the offense. This is one of the first things that Lakers head coach Frank Vogel observed from him during practice. One could understandably expect him to simply be a knockdown shooter. But there are lots of things in Monk's toolbox that will be of use. We got a glimpse of this in his first preseason game. Monk was involved in several pick-and-roll situations. These plays worked well because the defense was aware of Monk's abilities. As noted, he has that smooth stroke from deep and from mid-range as well. Sagging off him is just a foolish decision. Getting too close will invite him to drive straight to the hole.
You might be asking, why would the Lakers want another initiator in the starting five with James and Westbrook around? The two are absolute playmaking machines who have a great understanding of the game. The answer is simple, another versatile player will simply make the offense more dynamic. We have to note that James and Westbrook aren't just excellent playmakers, they're very good off the ball as well. James has shown off this ability pretty much his entire career, particularly when he was in Miami with Dwyane Wade. James absolutely knows when to cut. The same goes for Westbrook during and after the Kevin Durant era in Oklahoma City.
Monk's versatility makes the Lakers' offense much more unpredictable. While Monk's playmaking abilities have yet to fully bloom, we should expect it to receive a mighty boost with the likes of Rondo, James, and Westbrook always on his ear. As the season progresses, Monk will finetune his playmaking abilities enough to be trusted upon by Frank Vogel.
3. Excellent hands, quick feet on defense
There's not a lot of praise for Monk's defensive abilities. This doesn't mean that he's a big liability on this end. We simply have to trust the Lakers front office for coming up with a detailed scouting report before recruiting then signing a player. Before we forget, Frank Vogel is a defensive specialist. And it's ideal for him to have players who actually love and have the potential to play D.
The clip below showcases what Monk can do on defense. His skill in stripping the ball is apparent. What's surprising is how quick Monk is on his feet. Once he sees the ball loose, Monk won't hesitate to go after the ball and start the fastbreak. There are also instances where he seems to know the play and interrupts it as it's developing. This is one of the hallmarks of a good defensive player.
https://youtu.be/vHagngXaw0c
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