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After being drafted 11e In the overall 2017 NBA Draft, Malik Monk was supposed to be the next bucket getter in Charlotte to play with Kemba Walker. Due to irregular playing time and poor defense due to his size, Monk has been viewed as a disappointment so far as a top-15 pick in the draft.
The most infamous and hilarious moment of his Charlotte career came when team owner Michael Jordan slapped Monk on the head for making a stupid game when he wasn’t even playing.
In his fourth NBA season last year, Monk seems to have regained his confidence. Finding himself in some hard-hitting match moments, Monk seems to have found the shot he had in Kentucky, averaging nearly 12 points per game and a remarkable 40% of the perimeter in 20 minutes per game.
Dwight Howard recently spoke to SBNation’s Harrison Faigen about his time with Monk in Charlotte.
“He’s always been awesome… he’s always been amazing. Ever since I’ve been with him in Charlotte, I’ve always talked to him about being patient and waiting. ‘You are going to have your time’. And it seemed like everything had turned out at the right time for him. He was in Charlotte, he didn’t really have a lot of chances to play, but now he’s part of a team where everyone is going to see how talented he is, and I know he’s going to shine. I have been a huge fan of him since he was young and I am happy that we are teammates again.
Fast forward to last week in training with the Lakers, things appear to be improving for Monk’s prospect with this team.
Obviously, the practices are not absolute to translate into playing time, but as Howard said, he will have every chance of succeeding with this team, especially with the quality of the teammates he has here than in Charlotte. .
Could the former Kentucky star potentially carve out a starting role for the team?
“We haven’t talked about it yet,” Monk said on Tuesday’s Lakers media day. “I think we’re all just gonna compete, man. I am here. I don’t care if I start or leave the bench, I’m just here to be the best Malik I can be for the Lakers.
At this point, it may make more sense for Monk to leave the bench. With Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook starting, there are only a limited number of mouths to feed, and Monk will certainly have more opportunities if he comes in to help score buckets in spurts.
Hopefully his new “Microwave” moniker translates into playtime and becomes the 2022 Lakers version of Vinnie Johnson.
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