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

[yosemiteben]

I'm not worried about him, but I am surprised he hasn't had more random scoring spurts.

[catch20two]

I'm not worried about him, but I am surprised he hasn't had more random scoring spurts.

Hard to have random scoring spurts in 3-5 minutes of play and even harder when you’re DNP-CD.

[yosemiteben]

I'm not worried about him, but I am surprised he hasn't had more random scoring spurts.

Hard to have random scoring spurts in 3-5 minutes of play and even harder when you’re DNP-CD.

In our last eight games, he's played at least ten minutes in five of them. In those games, he's a combined 8-30 FG. His best game during that span was when he went 3-6 FG

He got 19 minutes against LAL and went 1-7. He got 20 minutes against MIA and went 2-9.

[catch20two]

I'm not worried about him, but I am surprised he hasn't had more random scoring spurts.

Hard to have random scoring spurts in 3-5 minutes of play and even harder when you’re DNP-CD.

In our last eight games, he's played at least ten minutes in five of them. In those games, he's a combined 8-30 FG. His best game during that span was when he went 3-6 FG

He got 19 minutes against LAL and went 1-7. He got 20 minutes against MIA and went 2-9.

He’s had more random scoring spurts than MCW lol.

The kid certainly need some work. Bad shot selection has really hindered his efficiency. I think he think just because he can make tough shots that they’re okay shots to take. He’ll learn how to pick and choose his spots as the game slow down for him.

We’ve saw glimpses of what he’s capable of during our 5-3 start to the season that had most of us optimistic. Outside of that Knicks game where we blew the big lead and Monk had 21 points he hasn’t really seen a lot of minutes since.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

http://www.espn.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/14779/to-young-players-playing-time-is-oxygen

Sums up a lot of what I think. Pop's approach to development seems to work as well, even without the extended playing time in all cases. I suspect that instead of consistent minutes per game there are just games where the young guys know they will play a ton because the vet is being rested.

Anyway, if the Hornets want Monk to play well they need to play him in such a way that he can. He needs guys to pass to him in ways MCW doesn't seem to (Kemba, Nic, & Frank seem like the best bets at this point). Personally I would like to see Monk playing with those guys some of the time in staggered rotations or with Nic as his bench wingman.

I do think that Monk has been horrifically bad overall, I'm just in favor of giving him the best chance possible to succeed and turn into a guy that can help the team this year. If he doesn't then kill his minutes later in the year and give him the summer to make it better next year.

[catch20two]

Don’t worry. We’ll give him minutes after we realize we’re not making the playoffs giving MCW 15-20 minutes a night.

[Diop]

I'm worried he might suck

[Liver_Pooty]

I'm worried he might suck

That;d be our luck. Most everyone was thrilled when Vonleh dropped. And that guy still sucks.

[Robot Rock]

Meh, we've given MKG five years to prove he doesn't suck. I'm inclined to give Monk at least three (plus he's already shown flashes of brilliance).

[Liver_Pooty]

Meh, we've given MKG five years to prove he doesn't suck. I'm inclined to give Monk at least three (plus he's already shown flashes of brilliance).

MKG has proven he doesnt suck?

Just kidding. Kinda.

[Robot Rock]

Meh, we've given MKG five years to prove he doesn't suck. I'm inclined to give Monk at least three (plus he's already shown flashes of brilliance).

MKG has proven he doesnt suck?

Just kidding. Kinda.

Best example, if that's what you're looking for, is Kemba. 4/5 of everyone on this board, for his first three seasons, were not high on him and thought he sucked. Now he's the best player we've ever had. I think Monk has a similar potential -- plus, he played only one year of college ball as opposed to three.

[Liver_Pooty]

Meh, we've given MKG five years to prove he doesn't suck. I'm inclined to give Monk at least three (plus he's already shown flashes of brilliance).

MKG has proven he doesnt suck?

Just kidding. Kinda.

Best example, if that's what you're looking for, is Kemba. 4/5 of everyone on this board, for his first three seasons, were not high on him and thought he sucked. Now he's the best player we've ever had. I think Monk has a similar potential -- plus, he played only one year of college ball as opposed to three.

True. I like the Kemba comp better.

[Hornet Mania]

Kemba is definitely a good example, and I think there is reason for hope. Tons of teenage rookies play like crap their first few months in the league. Brandon Ingram looked like a massive bust, even with guaranteed minutes. Kevin Durant got dragged on the General Board. Even Lebron failed to make the All-Star team (and he failed on merit). Those guys, although Ingram less so, were much more highly regarded than Monk.

Really young players can improve dramatically even within the span of a season. If Monk looks like this in February 2019 I'll consider throwing in the towel, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to see him figure things out a bit in the last quarter of his rookie season before becoming much more capable as a sophomore as many players do.

[_tijo_]

Once this season becomes lost (and it's getting there quick), I want to see the Kemba, Monk, Lamb, Graham, and Dwight starting. See if we have a Dame/CJ type combo with those two, with Lamb and Graham getting some more reps.

[euphorbus]

Once this season becomes lost (and it's getting there quick), I want to see the Kemba, Monk, Lamb, Graham, and Dwight starting. See if we have a Dame/CJ type combo with those two, with Lamb and Graham getting some more reps.

I like that idea. The question is whether any of the current coaches are any good at player development? I understand that that was Coach Silas' portfolio, and I have not been impressed over the past two seasons.

[HoopsMalone]

This is the problem with drafting 19 year olds. Their cheap seasons they suck for so they aren't really a bargain. Right now he's unplayable. He's every bit as bad as MCW on offense and significantly worse on defense.

And then you have to decide whether or not to commit to them long term as a restricted free agent before you know if they're worth it yet.

As much as people talk about treadmilling it seems like they ignore the fact that drafting and subsequently locking yourself into Andrew WIggins type guys often results in multiple years of sucking combined with a few years of treadmilling.

The problem is we blew our wad on the Batum signing. We've got to try to get out of that deal somehow but I don't see how it's possible given his health this season. I wouldn't hesistate accepting Evan Turner + an expiring for him right now. Turner has one less year on his deal and we'd probably be able to move him at some point as an expiring deal.

[Robot Rock]

This is the problem with drafting 19 year olds. Their cheap seasons they suck for so they aren't really a bargain. Right now he's unplayable. He's every bit as bad as MCW on offense and significantly worse on defense.

And then you have to decide whether or not to commit to them long term as a restricted free agent before you know if they're worth it yet.

As much as people talk about treadmilling it seems like they ignore the fact that drafting and subsequently locking yourself into Andrew WIggins type guys often results in multiple years of sucking combined with a few years of treadmilling.

The problem is we blew our wad on the Batum signing. We've got to try to get out of that deal somehow but I don't see how it's possible given his health this season. I wouldn't hesistate accepting Evan Turner + an expiring for him right now. Turner has one less year on his deal and we'd probably be able to move him at some point as an expiring deal.

Nah he's still better than MCW. MCW is the worst active player in the NBA.

[HoopsMalone]

This is the problem with drafting 19 year olds. Their cheap seasons they suck for so they aren't really a bargain. Right now he's unplayable. He's every bit as bad as MCW on offense and significantly worse on defense.

And then you have to decide whether or not to commit to them long term as a restricted free agent before you know if they're worth it yet.

As much as people talk about treadmilling it seems like they ignore the fact that drafting and subsequently locking yourself into Andrew WIggins type guys often results in multiple years of sucking combined with a few years of treadmilling.

The problem is we blew our wad on the Batum signing. We've got to try to get out of that deal somehow but I don't see how it's possible given his health this season. I wouldn't hesistate accepting Evan Turner + an expiring for him right now. Turner has one less year on his deal and we'd probably be able to move him at some point as an expiring deal.

Nah he's still better than MCW. MCW is the worst active player in the NBA.

MCW is handily better than Monk. That's not even really debatable.

[HoopsMalone]

I mean I realize it's fashionable to hate on MCW but let's look at reality. MCW can get penetration and has enough experience to run an offense (albeit poorly). Defensively, he's adequate.

Monk is none of these things.

I get that everyone wants to see the younger guy get the playing time. But when you have a coach and GM with their jobs on the line the reality is they are going to play the far superior player.

Monk is literally one of the worst players in the NBA right now.

[catch20two]

Monk is downright terrible right now. He has no idea what’s going on out on the floor. He’s almost always in the wrong spot offensively and defensively. He shoots unnecessarily bad shots and falls for every pump fake.

I like how we used him today where we played him a little early to see if he had it. Once we saw that he didn’t just played Treveon instead.