Lakers Rumors: Malik Monk Might Be Changing His Tune on Re-Signing with LA in Free Agency
There's plenty of things to question about this past Lakers season, but one thing is a for sure, signing Malik Monk to a veteran minimum contract was a smart move. Monk, a former lottery pick, needed to prove himself after some up-and-down years in Charlotte and the Lakers needed a productive player at a bargain price.
Earlier this week, The Athletic's Jovan Buha wrote a piece that included quotes from Monk and his agent and brother Marcus that the former Kentucky Wildcat would be open to signing for the Lakers taxpayer mid-level exception ($6.4M) instead of cashing in on his success this past season.
However, in an article from Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, Fischer reported that according to his sources, Monk is also on the lookout for a more "lucrative" contract once free agency begins on Thursday at 3PM PT.
"The Lakers would like to retain Malik Monk at their taxpayer mid-level, but Monk is also searching for more lucrative deals..."
Fischer noted Buha's article, but but it's not exactly a surprise. After playing for peanuts last year for the Lakers, and thriving alongside LeBron James and setting a career high in points per game in the process (13.8), the 24-year-old guard could fetch a multi-year deal that pays him upwards of $10M per year.
Monk, an efficient off-ball scoring guard, will be a coveted player in free agency due to his skillset.
Although the Lakers desperately need him, few could fault him for signing for bigger money on a different team.
