How Kings can keep Malik Monk beyond the 2023-24 NBA season

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Kings general manager Monte McNair took a very specific approach to the 2023-24 offseason. His first order was to bring back Harrison Barnes and Trey Lyles. He continued to double-down on his current roster when he renegotiated and extended Domantas Sabonis, but that wasn’t the end of the summer build out.

While McNair added Colby Jones and Jalen Slawson via the draft, traded for Chris Duarte, and signed Sasha Vezenkov and Nerlens Noel via free agency, he continued his “run it back” plan when he re-signed Alex Len and Neemias Queta to round out the 15 man roster.

The core of the Kings’ team is not only signed through this season, but Sabonis, Barnes, Lyles, Vezenkov, De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Davion Mitchell, Keegan Murray and Duarte are all locked up beyond this year. Jones signed for at least the next two years and Queta’s deal comes with a non-guaranteed second year as well.

In theory, McNair has a total of 11 players under contract at least through the 2024-25 season. The only players who won’t be under contract at that point are Len, Kessler Edwards, Noel and…Malik Monk.

That last name is a big one. After a solid season and a break out playoff series against the Golden State Warriors, Monk appears to have found his niche as an explosive sixth man with unlimited scoring potential.

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