Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) pushes the ball up the court during the first quarter of the game against the Chicago Bulls at Golden 1 Center. Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

Kings will be without key player for play-in tournament

Originally posted on Hoops Rumors | By Arthur Hill | Last updated Apr 9, 2025 8:43 PM ET

The Kings will have to get through the play-in tournament without Malik Monk, who will be reevaluated in two weeks for a strained left calf, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.

Monk was injured Monday at Detroit, leaving the game for good with 1:38 left in the first quarter. A two-week absence would bring him back early in a first-round playoff series if Sacramento is able to advance that far.

Monk has excelled this season while starting 45 of the 65 games he’s played after finishing as the runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2024. He’s averaging a career-high 17.2 points to go with 3.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 31.6 minutes per night with .439/.325/.865 shooting numbers.

After beginning the season in his customary bench role, Monk was moved into the starting lineup by former head coach Mike Brown on December 1. He was shifted back to a sixth-man role when he returned from an injury on March 27.

Monk is a potentially huge loss for the Kings, who are still trying to wrap up home-court advantage in the 9-10 play-in matchup. At 39-40, they lead Dallas by one game coming into Wednesday.

With Monk out of action, Sacramento brought back guard Terence Davis earlier on Wednesday to fill an open spot on the roster.

This article first appeared on Hoops Rumors and was syndicated with permission.

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