NBA Veteran Claims Malik Monk Is Better Than Cavs Star

Brandon Jennings has a hot take regarding the Sacramento Kings sixth man.

Nov 13, 2023; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) dribbles past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) in the fourth quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

One of the top pending free agents to hit the market this summer is Sacramento Kings G Malik Monk, the NBA Sixth Man of the Year runner-up. Monk has been Sacramento's top bench player since signing with the Kings in the 2022 offseason, although he has proven to be a starting-caliber player in this league.

Monk is expected to get paid close to $100 million over the next four years in free agency this summer, although the Kings can only offer him a max of $78 million. With the star sixth man expected to find a new home, Monk could take the next step toward being one of the top guards in the league.

Brandon Jennings, a nine-year NBA veteran who has not played since 2018, went on the Gil's Arena Show to give a hot take regarding Sacramento's sixth man:

I think Malik Monk is a better player than Donovan Mitchell... If you look at the stats, Malik Monk is averaging 15 points and five assists, and he's only getting about 26 minutes. So if he averaged 34 minutes, what the hell do you think he would be averaging?

- Brandon Jennings, Gil's Arena Show

“I think Malik Monk is better than Donovan Mitchell.”

- Brandon Jennings

(🎥 @GilsArenaShow )

pic.twitter.com/rQcgTWsOHR

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 23, 2024

Jennings' argument in favor of Monk might make Kings fans smile, but there is no competition between Monk and Mitchell. The Cleveland Cavaliers star shooting guard is a five-time All-Star and a top-20 player in the league.

Monk is a talented player and deserves the spotlight that Jennings is giving him, but his argument has no validation. This season, Monk averaged 21.3 points and 7.1 assists per game per 36 minutes. For reference, Mitchell averaged 26.6 points and 6.1 assists in 35.5 minutes per game.

If Monk leaves Sacramento this offseason and finds a starting role elsewhere, he could blossom into a star, but it is rare for a seven-year veteran to leap from sixth man to All-Star.

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