Malik Monk Is Exactly What the Philadelphia 76ers Need
Kentucky flamethrower and potential Top 5 NBA Draft pick Malik Monk checks every box the Philadelphia 76ers need to fill in the NBA Draft.
The Philadelphia 76ers need shooting. Brett Brown’s offensive regime evolved into one that was far more reliant on the three ball this season than in years past, but the talent level — albeit slightly improved — still wasn’t up to par with where this team is trending.
They were tied for 10th in the league in 3-point attempts per game, yet their 34 percent clip measured out as merely the 25th best. Considering Ersan Ilyasova was their most persistent outside threat for a solid chunk of the season, their outside prowess leaves a considerable amount to be desired. Malik Monk could be the first step towards solving that problem.
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By all accounts, Brett Brown still seems intent on pushing Ben Simmons as the starting point guard next season. In his recent appearance on The Vertical Podcast with Woj, Brown stated that “when I say ‘point guard,’ I mean ‘point guard'” when referring to Simmons’ projected role come next season.
With Joel Embiid anchoring the post and Simmons likely to be positioned on the interior defensively, though, the Sixers still need to sure up their perimeter depth with another viable playmaker — and ideally, one that fits alongside the likes of Simmons.
Monk fits that bill rather seamlessly.
Like Jamal Murray in the season prior, Monk was relegated almost entirely to an off-ball role alongside a superior playmaker while at Kentucky. De’Aaron Fox took on the majority of the ball handling load, while Monk was sent around countless screens and involved in a myriad of actions that allowed him to emerge as college basketball’s most prolific catch-and-shoot threat. He drilled 39.7 percent of 6.9 attempts per game from deep, scoring with impressive efficiency while taking on a high-volume role on the offensive end. If it weren’t for a cold spell towards the back end of the campaign, Monk’s percentage would have likely eclipsed 40. That’s a rarity for any collegiate player given the oddities in how offenses run at that level.
A number of the concerns analysts have with Monk are derived from that very role, though. He played point guard at times prior to his yearlong tenure with the Wildcats, but was never able to showcase that against upper-tier talent. He was more of a one-dimensional scorer than anything else while at Kentucky, and that — whether warranted or not — is bound to leave some teams skeptical as to whether or not he can expand upon his offensive repertoire at the next level. A handful of flashy passes isn’t enough for some to chalk up Monk as a surefire point guard in the NBA, and given his point guard-esque frame at 6-3, the defensive concerns that come with being an undersized two will follow suit.
The Sixers, however, will be able to effectively minimize almost all of those core concerns. Monk has the playmaking chops to operate as a secondary initiator, as he’d share the floor with Ben Simmons, allowing that duo to work to and fro on the offensive end. That’d also allow them to slot Monk as the point guard defensively, where his athleticism alone gives him some solid potential on that side of the ball. They could essentially accommodate whatever limitations Monk’s game may have, then make the adjustments necessary for whatever he shows beyond his current profile.
Offensively, the Sixers ran a ton of screens and dribble handoffs this season — as do a lot of teams — with Joel Embiid and Dario Saric being the focal point. Add a potentially-elite playmaker in Ben Simmons to that mix in the frontcourt — or, backcourt? — and you have a trio of players whose presence in multiple different facets will be improved by a high octane perimeter threat of Monk’s caliber. Monk recquires constant attention from whichever defender is assigned to him, essentially bringing the Kyle Korver effect (in some capacity) to a Sixers offense that is in desperate need of spacing.
Rather than Saric barreling down the lane and finding erratic and overly inconsistent shooters in the corner, Brown can replace the likes of a Nik Stauskas or a Gerald Henderson with Monk. While there may be an adjustment period for Monk, the 19-year-old already boasts the type of swagger and confidence that’s likely to translate to scoring in some capacity early on. He doesn’t need much room to get his shots off and has proven himself, rather consistently, to be a timely scorer whenever he’s on the floor. Monk would fit into a fairly defined role, meaning he won’t be asked to handle more than he’s capable of. Akin to Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (on a much larger scale), Brett Brown should be able to find an effective method in which to utilize his talents.
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Joel Embiid was among the league’s best offensive big men in limited minutes this season, averaging 20.2 points per game while showcasing an offensive variety that few athletes of his caliber — if any — can genuinely match. His off-the-dribble forays, expansive post arsenal and extended range on his jumper already make him a viable threat from virtually area on the floor.
Imagine adding a better shooter to a perimeter crew that yielded an ice-cold Robert Covington, Stauskas (or Henderson) and T.J. McConnell for the duration of his time on the floor this season. Monk would be replacing the latter, with Ben Simmons likely kicking the two-guard of choice out of that group. Or vice versa, depending on the semantics of the situation — and that’s one impressive upgrade regardless.
In short, it’s tough to deny the fact that Monk — whether he’s the best player available or not — is unequivocally the best fit in a Philadelphia offense that seems primed to take a significant leap forward next season. Depending on how the ping-pong balls fall and who comes off the board where, Monk may or may not be the best selection available in a vacuum. Jayson Tatum provides intriguing upside in his own right as a highly-versatile scoring wing alongside Simmons, while Dennis Smith Jr. is the type of explosive scorer whose up-and-down campaign could drop him a few spots further than his skill set would indicate.
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Both of them, however, clash with the Sixers’ current core in ways Monk simply does not. Would Smith be a bad pick? No, and far from it (he’s deserving of some top 3 love). But Monk most definitely fits better, and that’s something Bryan Colangelo and company will weigh the benefits of throughout the offseason leading into June. The Sixers could be ready for a playoff push in the coming seasons, where Monk might just be the most conducive route towards a well-spaced rotation and a system that meshes with the trends of today’s league.
It’ll be interesting to see how this decision pans out.