Guard Malik Monk knows that the Los Angeles Lakers can’t give him the type of money in free agency that other NBA teams can. But this doesn’t mean the 24-year-old won’t consider staying in LA past this summer.
Speaking with The Athletic, Monk hinted that he would be open to taking less money in order to remain with the Lakers.
“They might not be able to pay me as much as I want,” Monk said when asked about the possibility of re-signing with the franchise. “But I could be here and be way more comfortable as a Laker than going to any other team, and they’re paying me $5 million more. So it’s just me trying to figure out what team would really want me.”
Monk, who was a lottery pick in 2017, saw a limited market last offseason after four underwhelming seasons with the Charlotte Hornets. The Lakers were one of the few teams that really wanted him on their roster and didn’t hesitate to offer a deal.
The Kentucky product ended up coming to LA, and it proved to be a great decision. Despite the Lakers’ disappointing 2021-22 campaign, Monk had his best season as a pro and career-highs across the board. This included averaging 13.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
Monk is projected to attract more than $10 million annually, while the Lakers can only offer him their $6.3 million mid-level exception. However, this might just prove to be enough for Lepanto, Arkansas, native to put on the purple and gold in 2022-23 again.
