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

[Braggins]

RealGM logic: MKG’s still learning the game, it’s only his fifth season! He’s got plenty of time to prove himself.

Also RealGM logic: Monk is 19 and two months into his NBA career. Trade him for a second-round pick.

I dont really want to trade him for a 2nd round pick. Im just frustrated with how we are handling him and im tired of seeing our young players marginilized.

[Robot Rock]

RealGM logic: MKG’s still learning the game, it’s only his fifth season! He’s got plenty of time to prove himself.

Also RealGM logic: Monk is 19 and two months into his NBA career. Trade him for a second-round pick.

I dont really want to trade him for a 2nd round pick. Im just frustrated with how we are handling him and im tired of seeing our young players marginilized.

I am too, but I’m not in the business of promoting making other teams better like half our trade thread posts are.

[Liver_Pooty]

RealGM logic: MKG’s still learning the game, it’s only his fifth season! He’s got plenty of time to prove himself.

Also RealGM logic: Monk is 19 and two months into his NBA career. Trade him for a second-round pick.

Who has said that about MKG?

[catch20two]

The only player on the team that Monk has had a overall positive net rating playing with is Kemba.

The only player on the team that MCW has had a overall positive net rating with is MKG.

I looked up their 2-man lineup stats. I don’t know if this is really telling of anything at all. Just trying to figure out what player do they play best alongside.

[DY_nasty]

The only player on the team that Monk has had a overall positive net rating playing with is Kemba.

The only player on the team that MCW has had a overall positive net rating with is MKG.

I looked up their 2-man lineup stats. I don’t know if this is really telling of anything at all. Just trying to figure out what player do they play best alongside.

way too small a sample size imo

i just don't think you can ask a guy to 'learn pg' at his age and not expect a massive overall falloff in any kind of potential production

[euphorbus]

Monk has not seen much action lately. This is heartily disappointing, considering that Coach Silas was head of player development before being named interim head coach.

I missed nearly all the games at the end of December. Has Monk been playing more at the off guard, as I have advocated? That would pair him with either Walker or Carter-Williams.

[catch20two]

Monk has not seen much action lately. This is heartily disappointing, considering that Coach Silas was head of player development before being named interim head coach.

I missed nearly all the games at the end of December. Has Monk been playing more at the off guard, as I have advocated? That would pair him with either Walker or Carter-Williams.

Just garbage time minutes pretty much. Nothing of significance. I think he played maybe one game with meaningful minutes in the past month where he had about 6-8 minutes in the 2nd quarter without attempting a shot and then we didn’t see him the rest of the game.

They have been using him in the off-guard role though of late and not at point guard.

I personally think he can change his attitude. He’s looked like he’s been sulking lately. I’d much rather see him cheering the team on happily from the bench and coming into games with a positive attitude ready to score 10 points in 3 minutes during garbage time rather than going through the motions and looking like he doesn’t want to be on the floor.

[HornetJail]

I would sulk too if I was a highly touted prospect drafted to a team that was supposed to be good but isn't and I'm not being given court time in favor of a guy who is shooting 27% from the floor and will in all likelihood be playing basketball in Russia or some **** this time next year.

[catch20two]

I would sulk too if I was a highly touted prospect drafted to a team that was supposed to be good but isn't and I'm not being given court time in favor of a guy who is shooting 27% from the floor and will in all likelihood be playing basketball in Russia or some **** this time next year.

[King Ken]

Monk is somewhat confirming our pre-draft thoughts.

-too small to defend Or create own offense
-not skilled enough to be a pg, too small for a sg

Etc.

Basically, hope he is Lou Williams and not a tweener that can't really play either position well.

I was surprised he went so high in the draft. I literally felt he was a best case Lou Williams. He can be better than Lou based on his on and off the ball abilities but he has a lot of growing to do. He really needs to buckle down and do like IT. Become the 6th man, they build yourself up to a starter but IT had a major headstart as he's always been a PG.

[King Ken]

Its shameful that we can't find a backup pg. Its the deepest position in the league and just about every team has good pg's.

A lot of teams do not have decent backup PG's and ones who do are paying a pretty penny for them.

[King Ken]

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.

As a Hawk fan, I can say a part of me understands. I see this before. I would say, it's best to hit on a player and get a future star or superstar but we all want that and by so few being in the NBA, we clearly see, it's a crapshoot.

Sometimes fit matters so much. At UK, Monk had the perfect fit while someone like Mitchell in UL didn't. It's easy as a fan to watch and be impressed with Monk as well as he's younger but the NBA is NOT college Basketball. I have to tell that to Hawks fans all of the time who's loving Trae Young and Luka Doncic. Not saying those two will be what Monk is for you all but the NBA is an anomaly game. Giannis at 18 was trash. KP at 19 was meh with flashes. At 19, Jahlil looked like he had 20/10 potential. At 22, Giannis is a superstar, KP is a superstar and Okafor is fighting to stay in the NBA. The NBA cares about can you do things no one else can. I never really saw Monk doing things no one else can. He was efficient in his role in college but you knew the length in the NBA is next level and he's a build like a SG who lacks PG skills and defensive skills. You should have known but you watched the UK tape and saw the stat sheet without watching what his potential ceiling is and what can be projected to be at the next level.

Sometimes teams overproject which is a problem as well. To me, it's simple. No one can go coast to coast in NBA history like Giannis. No one with that size moved anywhere near as well as KP with a jumpshot. MJ, Hakeem, Embiid, the list goes on and on. Be smart. Don't overthink it.

[HornetJail]

Its shameful that we can't find a backup pg. Its the deepest position in the league and just about every team has good pg's.

A lot of teams do not have decent backup PG's and ones who do are paying a pretty penny for them.

Ours is quite literally incapable of playing NBA caliber basketball. At this current level, I don't even believe he'd be a full-time starter in the D-League.

I would literally rather have any of the other 71 PGsthat have received minutes this year.

[King Ken]

Its shameful that we can't find a backup pg. Its the deepest position in the league and just about every team has good pg's.

A lot of teams do not have decent backup PG's and ones who do are paying a pretty penny for them.

Ours is quite literally incapable of playing NBA caliber basketball. At this current level, I don't even believe he'd be a full-time starter in the D-League.

I would literally rather have any of the other 71 PGsthat have received minutes this year.

MCW is a 3rd string type of PG. You signed him for pennies. No one is sold on him. Teams with solid backup PG's like Orlando are paying for it. D.J. Augustin. Det with Ish Smith.

[HornetJail]

A lot of teams do not have decent backup PG's and ones who do are paying a pretty penny for them.

Ours is quite literally incapable of playing NBA caliber basketball. At this current level, I don't even believe he'd be a full-time starter in the D-League.

I would literally rather have any of the other 71 PGsthat have received minutes this year.

MCW is a 3rd string type of PG. You signed him for pennies. No one is sold on him. Teams with solid backup PG's like Orlando are paying for it. D.J. Augustin. Det with Ish Smith.

I don't even need a solid backup. Jameer Nelson was a minimum signing. Jarrett Jack was a minimum signing. Spencer Dinwiddie was a D-Leaguer. Hell... Beno Udrih, Aaron Brooks, and Deron Williams are free agents right now. If we signed one of them, I'd put money down that they'd be head and shoulders above MCW right now. My standards are extremely low- I just need someone who can make layups, run an offense at a backup's level, and kinda sorta shoot 3s. We managed to find the one PG in the NBA not capable of any of those. Even Ramon Sessions was better. MCW's lone saving grace is he has active hands on defense and sometimes deflects passes.

[King Ken]

Ours is quite literally incapable of playing NBA caliber basketball. At this current level, I don't even believe he'd be a full-time starter in the D-League.

I would literally rather have any of the other 71 PGsthat have received minutes this year.

MCW is a 3rd string type of PG. You signed him for pennies. No one is sold on him. Teams with solid backup PG's like Orlando are paying for it. D.J. Augustin. Det with Ish Smith.

I don't even need a solid backup. Jameer Nelson was a minimum signing. Jarrett Jack was a minimum signing. Spencer Dinwiddie was a D-Leaguer. Hell... Beno Udrih, Aaron Brooks, and Deron Williams are free agents right now. If we signed one of them, I'd put money down that they'd be head and shoulders above MCW right now. My standards are extremely low- I just need someone who can make layups, run an offense at a backup's level, and kinda sorta shoot 3s. We managed to find the one PG in the NBA not capable of any of those. Even Ramon Sessions was better. MCW's lone saving grace is he has active hands on defense and sometimes deflects passes.

Dinwiddle played for like three different teams. Brooklyn fit him like a glove. Jack is a system fit, in most other situations, we would have been cut for a 10-day contract type. Backup PG's who can fit in any situation are at a premium in this league. Charlotte is a tough fit. You got no real identity, a negative in Dwight Howard. No real direction or development.

[Braggins]

Dennis Smith Jr would get benched for a month for his game last night if he played for this franchise, yet Dallas is committed to developing him and forces him minutes/touches despite his growing pains and the perception is that hes on of the most promising rookies in the class, despite his struggles. Meanwhile, Monk is already being considered a bust even though hes shown promise because we bench him for scrubs with more experience like MCW.

[DY_nasty]

Dennis Smith Jr would get benched for a month for his game last night if he played for this franchise, yet Dallas is committed to developing him and forces him minutes/touches despite his growing pains and the perception is that hes on of the most promising rookies in the class, despite his struggles. Meanwhile, Monk is already being considered a bust even though hes shown promise because we bench him for scrubs with more experience like MCW.

That's a really good point and I think it shows how a bit of people are out of touch when it comes to evaluating players.

Experience is a valuable thing. At the same time, its not the same as ability. We're definitely overvaluing that and at the same time not acknowledging how its gained.

Truth is, a lot of guys don't even know how to practice and prepare properly until they fully experience NBA speed, defenses, reactions, etc.

[stinger14]

Monk is 19 years old, needs the chance to learn from mistakes by playing the game. I think he should play with the second unit, and I think we should be getting him looks coming off of screens. Move Batum to second unit, and let Lamb start.

Kemba/Batum
Lamb/Monk
MKG/Graham
Marv/Frank
Dwight/Cody

[Eoghan]

On the bright side, if this NBA thing doesn't pan out he can always make a meager living as a Q-Tip from ATCQ impersonator.