The Los Angeles Lakers have a plethora of major personnel decisions to make this summer — across the roster, coaching staff, and front office. Arguably, no potential move looms larger over the franchise than what happens with Russell Westbrook, who is owed $47 million in 2022-23. Another key development to monitor, though, is whether Los Angeles finds a way to bring back Malik Monk — whom Lakers fans actually want to see return next season.
Of course, the two situations are inter-connected.
Monk played the 2021-22 season on a minimum contract. The 24-year old represented one of the lone bright spots for the Lakers, averaging 13.3 points on .472/.391/.779 shooting splits. He has stated his desire to remain in Los Angeles, but the Lakers may not have the cap room to offer more than the tax-payer midlevel exception (roughly $6.4 million) — likely below what he could fetch on the open market.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5A53alv7I8uub6EBQYFFXZ?si=02b50ffe8aa34485
Westbrook also expressed an interest in running it back with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in 2022-23, but acknowledged that “nothing is promised.” The Lakers can either keep him, attach a first-round pick (or two) to entice a team to take on his mammoth expiring salary, negotiate an expensive buyout (especially unlikely), or waive the nine-time All-Star and stretch his remaining salary.
The latter option would stick the Lakers with $15 million or so of dead money on their cap sheet for the next three years, and they wouldn't recoup any on-court value for Westbrook. However, as Marc Stein noted in his latest Substack, it might allow the team to get under the luxury tax and offer Monk something closer to the non-taxpayer mid-level, around $10.3 annually.
“A straight release of Westbrook that essentially transforms his mammoth player option for next season into what lives on their books as a three-year deal in the $15 million range annually would move the Lakers out of luxury-tax territory and make it far easier for them to retain free agent-to-be Malik Monk, who at times has unexpectedly appeared to be the Lakers' most dependable player not named LeBron James throughout a nightmarish 31-48 campaign,” Marc Stein laid out in his latest Substack. “Facilitating Monk's return might be reason enough for the Lakers to go this route and is expected, league sources say, to be under consideration.”
Monk was the Lakers' third-best player for much of the season, though Russ reclaimed that mantle with solid play down the stretch.
Just one of the many queries facing Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka this summer.
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