The Detroit Pistons’ 18-point road loss to the Phoenix Suns last night was not just a case of bad luck. In fact, the Suns were playing without their leading scorer, Devin Booker, so the matchup actually tilted in Detroit’s favor before Dillon Brooks proceeded to go out and drop a career-high 40 points on the Pistons. 

During the 114-96 defeat, the Pistons were outmatched from the perimeter all night long and connected on eight fewer triples than their Phoenix counterparts, and the team’s desperate need for another shooter to pair with Duncan Robinson is clearer than ever. 

Though Jaden Ivey has at times looked the part, the fourth-year combo guard played just seven minutes against the Suns, so the Pistons could not rely on his outside jumper to help close the gap. In his place, Daniss Jenkins, who’s still playing out a two-way contract for the time being, logged 23 minutes as the backup guard against Phoenix. However, Jenkins went 0-for-3 from behind the arc, which further exacerbated the Pistons’ need for another perimeter scorer on a night when even Robinson went 1-for-6 from downtown. 

In terms of reliable three-point shooters on the market, the Pistons could look for an option from the Western Conference, particularly on the Sacramento Kings. Recently, Pistons Roundtable penned a profile on Keon Ellis and what the intriguing guard could offer the Detroit lineup, but the Pistons could also be interested in adding Malik Monk to the fold if the price is right. 

With a buttery smooth crossover and a refined mid-range jumper, Monk is an iso specialist ninth-year guard who could serve as a savvy deadline pickup for Pistons President of Player Operations Trajan Langdon. This year, Monk ranks No. 14 in the NBA with a 42.7% rate from three-point range, so the veteran sharpshooter would immediately lift Detroit’s ability to space the floor and attack from the outside. 

At this juncture, the Kings have the worst record in the Western Conference at 12-37, so Sacramento does not have a lot of incentive to latch onto a player like Monk when they could build for the future instead. Monk is set to become a free agent in the offseason, so he’d be a rental for a playoff squad like the Pistons and in theory would not cost too much to require. 

As an organization, Detroit is flush with draft capital for the future, but the Pistons are in an advantageous position where the ball is in their court. The Pistons could choose to stand pat with the roster they’ve developed so far, which would align with messages that Trajan Langdon has delivered publicly up to this point, but making a move to acquire Monk would shore up a clear need on a Detroit team that does not need much else. 

While Monk is not known as the most tenacious defender in the league, the dangerous perimeter shooter would serve primarily as a spark plug off the bench who can space the floor and unclog the lane for Cade Cunningham or Jalen Duren to exploit. On paper, Monk would act as a perimeter reinforcement for a Pistons team that currently ranks No. 21 in terms of three-point percentage. 

If Monk is available at the deadline, the Pistons could improve the balance of their squad without mortgaging the future, but they are on the clock with less than a week remaining to orchestrate a deal. 

This year, the NBA Trade Deadline is Thursday, Feb. 5 at 3 pm.

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