We "Don't" Want the Monk: The Malik Monk Thread

Robot Rock · Post #561 » by **Robot Rock** » Fri Feb 9, 2018 2:16 pm

He's not playing because he's on a team coached by Steve Clifford, and he didn't get to train/play in the offseason before now. He could be Russell Westbrook but it wouldn't matter. You all know his policies: never play rookies.

Post #562 » by **yosemiteben** » Fri Feb 9, 2018 2:28 pm

Robot Rock wrote:He's not playing because he's on a team coached by Steve Clifford, and he didn't get to train/play in the offseason before now. He could be Russell Westbrook but it wouldn't matter. You all know his policies: never play rookies.

Except for Cody, Frank, PJ, Monk earlier this season, and Bacon earlier this season, so just about every rookie he's had other than Vonleh.

This narrative needs to die.

countryboi · Post #563 » by **countryboi** » Fri Feb 9, 2018 2:48 pm

yosemiteben wrote:
Robot Rock wrote:He's not playing because he's on a team coached by Steve Clifford, and he didn't get to train/play in the offseason before now. He could be Russell Westbrook but it wouldn't matter. You all know his policies: never play rookies.

Except for Cody, Frank, PJ, Monk earlier this season, and Bacon earlier this season, so just about every rookie he's had other than Vonleh.

This narrative needs to die.

I dont think it has anything to do with him being a Rookie. I dont feel like Clifford doesnt think he is ready to play and doesnt want to wait and take his lumps with Monk. honestly thats worse because this team is not that good that we can afford to groom him.

predators · Post #564 » by **predators** » Fri Feb 9, 2018 3:00 pm

Diop wrote:
predators wrote:TBH , I think his game just might not translate to the NBA. He is a really really small two guard, and everyone he reminds me of is significantly bigger (longer wingspan) than he is. (Jamal Crawford, Devin Booker.) I think he was way more of a project than the majority of us thought.

he still reminds me of Ben Gordon, he might be ok in the right situation.

Ben Gordon had 6 8.5 wingspan, Monk's is 6'3". I don't think he will ever be a plus @ the 2 guard. He has to learn how to play point and that is going to take time. I was as hyped as the next guy when we drafted him, this makes me sad.

Robot Rock · Post #565 » by **Robot Rock** » Fri Feb 9, 2018 3:46 pm

yosemiteben wrote:
Robot Rock wrote:He's not playing because he's on a team coached by Steve Clifford, and he didn't get to train/play in the offseason before now. He could be Russell Westbrook but it wouldn't matter. You all know his policies: never play rookies.

Except for Cody, Frank, PJ, Monk earlier this season, and Bacon earlier this season, so just about every rookie he's had other than Vonleh.

This narrative needs to die.

It will die when he plays the right players over the wrong ones.

Vanderbilt_Grad · Post #566 » by **Vanderbilt_Grad** » Fri Feb 9, 2018 3:56 pm

Cliff plays rookies ... if they "earn" their PT. As far as I can tell to earn PT from Cliff they need to:
1. Play defense!
2. Not screw up on offense.
3. Practice well - especially during the summer.

Monk basically ticks all 3 of Cliff's negatives. He missed the summer, he's not a great defender, and he takes some bad shots.

Note: Cliff does play the wrong guys a lot and he has completely different rules for guys who have been around a while. All of these are problems.

Robot Rock · Post #567 » by **Robot Rock** » Fri Feb 9, 2018 4:03 pm

Vanderbilt_Grad wrote:Cliff does play the wrong guys a lot and he has completely different rules for guys who have been around a while.

This is ultimately the message that needs to be sent, for Monk and for others.

Robot Rock · Post #568 » by **Robot Rock** » Fri Feb 9, 2018 4:05 pm

In the games I've attended where Monk actually played, I can only think of 1-2 defensive possessions where I thought he was the weakest man on that side of the ball. That's one thing to note. I've also seen him pick a guy's pocket and hit a three moments later (something literally no one else seems to be capable of doing).

Rich4114 · Post #569 » by **Rich4114** » Fri Feb 9, 2018 5:13 pm

See for me, the "bad defense" thing does not hold as much weight because I see us playing bad defense without Monk out there. I see us giving HEAVY minutes to Frank Kaminsky who has got to be the worst defensive big I've ever seen. I think at this point, Monk gaining experience this year is something that would help us next year. The team needs to accept the chances of the playoffs are so low and the success in the playoffs is similar to what our 2013 playoff "run" was. Do the right thing and get the rookies experience. Don't run Kemba into the ground. Salvage this season and look to next.

Post #570 » by **JDR720** » Fri Feb 9, 2018 8:24 pm

We managed to somewhat hide Al Jefferson on defense , we can hide Monk .

This also shows our complete lack of 2way players. Nic,Frank,MKG sometimes etc.

DY_nasty · Post #571 » by **DY_nasty** » Fri Feb 9, 2018 11:46 pm

what i don't get is how we don't even let him handle the ball in garbage time

Benjamin Linus · Post #572 » by **Benjamin Linus** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 11:48 am

I really hope Monk puts in the work this offseason. I'd even be cool with him not focusing a ton on his faults and just becoming great at what he's supposed to be good at (although, he does need to hit the weightroom pretty hard). It's becoming positionless basketball where you just play your best players and if Monk can get buckets and can single-handedly win you quarters by becoming scorching hot (and perhaps someone who can play in the clutch w Kemba) then we should be able to find a way to get him good minutes even if he's not great at running an offense or defending big two-guards.

Besides, after seeing the monumental dropoff when Kemba leaves the floor, this team would probably be better off having a backup PG in a similar mold who can straight up shoot and score as opposed to a defense-first type. I think he can be just as good, if not better than his Kentucy Wildcat predecessor, Jamal Murray.

Lwcasu · Post #573 » by **Lwcasu** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 1:04 pm

Benjamin Linus wrote:I really hope Monk puts in the work this offseason. I'd even be cool with him not focusing a ton on his faults and just becoming great at what he's supposed to be good at (although, he does need to hit the weightroom pretty hard). It's becoming positionless basketball where you just play your best players and if Monk can get buckets and can single-handedly win you quarters by becoming scorching hot (and perhaps someone who can play in the clutch w Kemba) then we should be able to find a way to get him good minutes even if he's not great at running an offense or defending big two-guards.

Besides, after seeing the monumental dropoff when Kemba leaves the floor, this team would probably be better off having a backup PG in a similar mold who can straight up shoot and score as opposed to a defense-first type. I think he can be just as good, if not better than his Kentucy Wildcat predecessor, Jamal Murray.

Just a random question, has there ever been a star vet guard on a team, and then a younger guy gets drafted to play the backcourt with him and it working out where the other can also rise to a star? My first thought was Thompson/Curry, but they both became stars together and neither was a star when the other entered the league.

Just off hand (McGrady/Carter (though McGrady was traded basically as he was becoming a star, Rondo/Allen). Anyways, I'm just wondering if its one of those things that could hurt development. I feel like generally star backcourts evolve together, especially in the modern NBA. For the modern NBA, the closest I could think of was when Harden became the 6th man in OKC and they went to the finals. But, hadn't Durant already moved to the 3 by that time and was Westbrook a star yet? I feel like that was the year he was becoming an all-star caliber PG, but it would be a couple years till he became a superstar.

BatumtheGlue · Post #574 » by **BatumtheGlue** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 5:06 pm

yosemiteben wrote:
Robot Rock wrote:He's not playing because he's on a team coached by Steve Clifford, and he didn't get to train/play in the offseason before now. He could be Russell Westbrook but it wouldn't matter. You all know his policies: never play rookies.

Except for Cody, Frank, PJ, Monk earlier this season, and Bacon earlier this season, so just about every rookie he's had other than Vonleh.

This narrative needs to die.

This. We might be right to blame Clifford, but I think there's an elephant in the room, and it's Monk himself.

Vanderbilt_Grad · Post #575 » by **Vanderbilt_Grad** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 5:38 pm

BatumtheGlue wrote:
yosemiteben wrote:
Robot Rock wrote:He's not playing because he's on a team coached by Steve Clifford, and he didn't get to train/play in the offseason before now. He could be Russell Westbrook but it wouldn't matter. You all know his policies: never play rookies.

Except for Cody, Frank, PJ, Monk earlier this season, and Bacon earlier this season, so just about every rookie he's had other than Vonleh.

This narrative needs to die.

This. We might be right to blame Clifford, but I think there's an elephant in the room, and it's Monk himself.

MKG.

For me, Monk is the new MKG. Cliff grossly misused MKG early on here and it's had a lasting impact on his development / lack thereof.

Cliff plays guys who fit his system & biases. Cody & Frank are both big guys who played defense as rookies. PJ was bad but did the right things Cliff wise - defending & shooting bad 3s. Ditto for Bacon.

Post #576 » by **yosemiteben** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 9:40 pm

So Cliff played Frank because of his defense? That's a bold take.

DY_nasty · Post #577 » by **DY_nasty** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 9:53 pm

i'll also say cliff sends his guards to die

i remember seeing him put PJ on Wade for a whole game and I'm just like why would you do this? The raptors game early this year Derozan got to match up on Monk for a while... like he's trying to be a dick on purpose lol

catch20two · Post #578 » by **catch20two** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 10:40 pm

DY_nasty wrote:i'll also say cliff sends his guards to die

i remember seeing him put PJ on Wade for a whole game and I'm just like why would you do this? The raptors game early this year Derozan got to match up on Monk for a while... like he's trying to be a dick on purpose lol

He do the same thing to Lamb lol.

BeesWax · Post #579 » by **BeesWax** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 11:09 pm

catch20two wrote:
DY_nasty wrote:i'll also say cliff sends his guards to die

i remember seeing him put PJ on Wade for a whole game and I'm just like why would you do this? The raptors game early this year Derozan got to match up on Monk for a while... like he's trying to be a dick on purpose lol

He do the same thing to Lamb lol.

It is because this isn't the player he spent the whole year lobbying for. All he did the year before we took Frank was complain he couldn't win because we couldn't shoot from the 4 spot. Then magically we pass on much better players to take Frank to solve Cliffs main issue with his coaching. All he has been good at in his tenure here is coming up with excuses for why he can't use the players we have to win games. Monk didn't fit his whining so he is banished to the bench while Frank couldn't defend a chair but he keeps trotting him out there because he knows it is his fault Frank is here.

Post #580 » by **yosemiteben** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 11:11 pm

Mean Cliff made Lamb guard good players, obvi because he hates Lamb.