The verbose former NBA starter and NCAA National Champion speaks on if Monk will eventually be moved.
Malik Monk is earning an increase in minutes following his mysterious Sacramento Kings benching. He's gone from combining to play a total of five minutes in three games to earning 19 against both Dallas and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Yet the belief remains that Monk will wear a new uniform once the calendar hits 2026.
Former NBA starter for the Minnesota Timberwolves and past North Carolina national champion Rashad McCants weighed in on Monk's pending future with the franchise. Does McCants believe Monk can be valuable?
"Malik Monk, I believe, is an extraordinary asset and talent. I think he can be utilized in multiple ways," McCants said in a one-on-one interview with Kings Roundtable. "Similar to De'Aaron Fox especially when they played together for a short period of time."
Fox ended up leaving the Kings and now "hasn't stopped smiling" since joining the San Antonio Spurs. Monk is one of the last remaining members of the Kings' last playoff run -- which ended a 16-year drought. Now Sacramento has a completely different roster led by franchise legend Doug Christie, plus aging veterans DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Russell Westbrook.
Monk, again, often looked buried on the bench. Even Keon Ellis earned more minutes than the veteran shooting guard -- sparking the theories of a potential Monk trade.
Sure enough, Monk's name surfaced as a trade candidate before Christmas. Five teams immediately rose as potential suitors for Monk -- including the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks.
But does McCants believe that Monk is tradeable at this point?
"It's kind of difficult because he's going to have to go somewhere where he can play. And actually become a real asset and for trade value," McCants said. "He can show his results."
There's one more dilemma presented for a possible Monk trade.
"But if he's the only guy to move at this point, it's going to be tough to get anything back," McCants said. "Plus it'll be hard to tell the fans this is a good move."
The last part paints the picture of how hard the Kings will get anything of higher value in return.
Monk is an established Sixth Man in the NBA. But he's likely not going to be considered an even swap for players with All-Star credentials or those averaging more than 18 points a night. Plus, Sacramento's current 8-24 record doesn't make the city an attractive destination for players seeking a trade.
Monk may have to settle for earning whatever minutes Christie hands him for the rest of the season. If anything, he could become worth draft capital but not commanding a first round pick in a potential deal.