The Lakers are poised to add another sharpshooter to their roster, having agreed to a deal with free-agent guard Malik Monk, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Monk, a former 11th overall pick, struggled in his first three NBA seasons, making just 32.2% of his three-point attempts and serving a drug-related suspension in 2020. However, he emerged as a reliable role player in 2020-21, averaging 11.7 PPG on .434/.401/.819 shooting in 42 games (20.9 MPG).
The Hornets opted not to tender Monk a $7M+ qualifying offer over the weekend, making him an unrestricted free agent and ensuring that a team like the Lakers can sign him outright without having to worry about an offer being matched.
After nearly acquiring Buddy Hield in a trade with Sacramento last week, the Lakers pivoted and agreed to acquire Russell Westbrook instead, creating a major need for shooting on the wing.
The team began to address that need by agreeing to minimum-salary deals with Wayne Ellington, Kent Bazemore and Trevor Ariza on day one of free agency. Monk will give the Lakers another option for spacing the floor around their stars.
More must-reads: