The Sacramento Kings have suffered another blow to their roster as they lose yet another key player to injury for the rest of the regular season. Sixth man Malik Monk is set to be out for at least four weeks following a knee injury sustained during the Kings’ 107-103 loss to the Mavericks on Friday. During the game, Luka Doncic collided with Monk’s right knee after a drive in the first half, forcing the guard to leave the game and not return.
Monk has been a crucial piece of the Kings lineup this season and is considered one of the top contenders for the Kia NBA’s 6th man of the year award. He has been averaging professional highs of 15.4 points and 5.1 assists in 26.0 minutes per game, while shooting 44.3% from the field, including 35.0% from beyond the arc. In fact, Monk leads all players in the NBA in points (1,110) and assists (370) off the bench, making him a valuable member of the team.
The news of Monk’s injury comes at a critical moment for Sacramento, as they currently sit 8th in the Western Conference. They are a half-game behind the Suns and two games behind the Mavericks. The Kings will have to find a way to cope without Monk’s contributions, which is no easy task given the impact he has had on the team’s performance this season.
Furthermore, this comes just a day after Sacramento announced that Kevin Huerter would be undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. Huerter has been averaging 10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists this season, and has started 59 games. Losing two players in such a short period is undoubtedly a significant setback for the Kings, and their ability to make the playoffs is now in serious doubt.