NBA Pundit: Malik Monk is a “foolish” who will leave the Kings in free agency.

Even though the Sacramento Kings are midway through the regular season and getting ready for the postseason, it’s never too early to consider the team’s summer plans. Although supporters can feel secure in the knowledge that De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, two players on par with Aaron Rodgers, are here to stay, Sixth Man of the Year front-runner Malik Monk faces some uncertainty as he approaches unrestricted free agency.

The seven-year veteran guard is currently in the final year of his contract and is making $9.9 million this year, but given his performance this season, he ought to get paid. Even though a different team would be interested in hiring him for that next deal, it might not be in Monk’s best interests to leave at this time.

Mo Dakhil of Bleacher Report argues that Monk should remain in Sacramento through the summer, citing his “perfect position” as the Kings’ sixth man as the main justification for his return:

There will be a nice, healthy market for a player like Monk in free agency. He could get a ridiculous offer that Sacramento may not want to match. Could he keep playing at the same high level if he goes somewhere else? There is a history of players chasing roles and money and those pursuits ending poorly. If the money is close or equal, Monk should stay in Sacramento. He is in the perfect position, and coming off the bench could add more hardware to his mantle. More importantly, he is a pivotal piece for a team that he is already comfortable with.

Monk’s second season with the Kings has been spectacular. He has averaged 15.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on 44.9/37.2/82.2 splits in his 55 games played off the bench. Third on the team in points per game, he has been an essential part of Sacramento’s second unit.

All in all, Monk’s year has been a career year. According to Fox Sports, he is currently leading the whole pool at -115 and has career-high stats in assists and points per game. He is also trending upward in the odds to win Sixth Man of the Year.

Prior rumours suggested that Monk might “chase money” in the forthcoming free agency window. Even though continuing to play as Sacramento’s sixth man would maintain him in a viable and effective role, he might be enticed to leave by a team offering a hefty salary. Should the rumours prove to be accurate, the Kings could need to dig deep to maintain the Kentucky product for the long run.

While the offseason is still a while off, pay close attention to Monk’s future plans. Losing their spark plug off the bench this summer might spell issues for Sacramento.