Report: Monk intends to sign four-year, $78 million deal with Kings originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Malik Monk intends to stay with the Kings and sign a four-year, $78 million contract that includes a player option for the final year, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday night, citing sources.
ESPN Sources: Free agent G Malik Monk intends to sign a four-year, $78 million contract – including a player option – to return to the Sacramento Kings. Monk had a career-best 15 points and five assists on his way to runner-up for NBA Sixth Man of the Year. pic.twitter.com/J8KuOwPl0H
-Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 21, 2024
Monk’s agents Jeff Schwartz and Marcus Monk from @excelbasquete were able to begin negotiations after the NBA Finals and avoid free agency with the maximum contract the Kings can pay Monk. Big off-season priority for Sacramento. https://t.co/86zq3r2AQ9
-Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 21, 2024
Rehiring Monk was the The Kings’ top offseason priority and general manager Monte McNair was able to close a deal three days after the conclusion of the NBA Finals.
Monk had a chance to test free agency on June 30, but passed up the opportunity to stay with the Kings, where he found a home on the sidelines. former Kentucky teammate De’Aaron Fox.
Monk can officially sign the contract agreed to with Kings on July 6th.
Although other teams might have offered Monk more money if he had hit the open market, $78 million is the maximum amount that the Kings were able to offer him.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Monk will earn $17.4 million during the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season, while his player option for the 2027-28 season is worth $21.6 million.
Monk had early bird rights with Sacramento.
Here are the numbers:
2024/25 – $17.4 million
2025/26 – $18.8 million
2026/27 – $20.2 million
2027/28 – $21.6 million (player) https://t.co/MDCtCiI863-Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 21, 2024
In the end, that was enough for one of the best bench players in the NBA.
Monk averaged a career-high 15.4 points and 5.1 assists in 26 minutes in 72 games for the Kings last season. He shot 44.3 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3-point range.
Those numbers were good enough for a second-place finish in Sixth Man of the Year voting, with Monk losing out to Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid.
Monk’s two best NBA seasons came in Sacramento and he plans to continue the good times.
Now, McNair and Co.’s goal is to add more pieces around Fox, Monk, Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray to help lead the Kings back to the NBA playoffs.
