It’s Nov. 10, 2021, and there are five seconds remaining on the shot clock for the Lakers, who lead the Miami Heat by one point with 2:23 left in overtime.
Russell Westbrook inbounds the ball to Malik Monk, who catches the pass at the edge of the Lakers’ center-court logo. Monk quickly veers toward the left of the basket, creating just enough separation from his defender, Tyler Herro, and avoiding a double-team from a rotating P.J. Tucker.
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Monk gathers himself, leaps forward and fades to his left, swishing a ridiculously tough shot in front of the Heat’s bench as the shot-clock buzzer sounds. The Lakers’ bench, already on its feet, jumps up and down, clapping and yelling, as the fifth-year guard shares a celebratory moment with the Staples Center crowd on his way back down the floor.
The game isn’t over, but Monk’s basket has sealed his team’s fate.
The shorthanded Lakers, playing without LeBron James, defeated the Heat, 120-117, in large part because of Monk’s then-season-high 27 points. The clutch performance resulted in Monk’s second postgame media appearance, a duty typically reserved for the star trio of James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.
“I had this role a couple of times in Charlotte, when a lot of guys got hurt,” Monk said after the game. “I had to come in, play big minutes and facilitate and do all the things I normally don’t do. I work on my game a lot, so I was really prepared for this moment.”
Monk’s 2021-22 season with the Lakers has been full of the moments he longed for in Charlotte: starting games, hitting clutch jumpers, playing consistent minutes, complementing star teammates.
Most of all, for the first time since the beginning of his career, Monk feels wanted.
“The Lakers just let me be me,” Monk said. “Let me play free. I’m going out there with a free mind, not worrying about a mistake, and if I’m gonna come out if I make a mistake. They just give me all the confidence to be me.”
Monk and his older brother/agent, Marcus, each spoke to The Athletic about Monk’s breakout season, his unique chemistry with James and his future with Los Angeles.
After struggling to establish himself in Charlotte, the former lottery pick is reshaping the narrative of his career as one of the lone bright spots in what has otherwise been a disappointing season for the Lakers. Los Angeles was one of two teams willing to gamble on Monk, and the shrewd decision has more than paid off.
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“We still don’t know how we got him for what we got him for,” Anthony Davis said.
Similar to Davis and the rest of his teammates, Monk couldn’t believe the deal he signed this offseason — or how perfectly things have worked out for him in Los Angeles.
Monk grew up in the small, blue-collar town of Lepanto, Arkansas (population: roughly 1,800 people), with his mother, Jackie, and brother, Marcus.
When Marcus graduated high school in 2004, he recalls three options he knew of for adulthood: working on a farm, working in a factory or going to college. Marcus chose the latter option. He played football and basketball at the University of Arkansas, ultimately pursuing a professional football career. He was picked in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft, playing two seasons with the Chicago Bears, New York Giants and Carolina Panthers.
Given the 12-year age gap and their mutual success in sports, Marcus was more than Monk’s older brother — he was also his trainer and life coach.
“I always just try to educate him with a realistic viewpoint towards everything,” Marcus said. “Our mother’s the same way. We don’t sugarcoat anything. It’s black and white. It is what it is. … I had to go through everything myself. I always just tried to educate him as I was going through the process.”
It wasn’t always easy to separate the brother dynamic from the trainer/coach dynamic — and now the agent dynamic — but their relationship has grown to the point where even if the lines blur, the advice is trusted. The two talk after every game, with Monk debriefing Marcus on his thought process, ranging from the shots he took, to the passing angles on his assists and turnovers, to his defensive rotations.
In high school, Marcus’ guidance and the same steadfast confidence that convinced Monk teams were going to be interested in him last offseason turned Monk into a five-star recruit who attracted the interest of Kentucky. And though Monk’s time at Kentucky was brief, given he was set to become an NBA lottery pick, he left a mark on coach John Calipari.
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“What makes Malik different is his spirit when he plays,” Calipari told The Athletic. “His bounce. His self-confidence. He knows he can get just about any shot off. I used to tell him, ‘Is that a good shot?’ He looked at me like, ‘If I got it off and it wasn’t blocked, it was a good shot.’ And then I started saying, ‘All right, just get them off. See how many you can make that way.’”
Monk is confident in a playful way — almost like a less eccentric Nick Young. Monk was a fan of Young’s growing up, and he recently shared that he adopted Young’s “right-arm-is-strictly-for-buckets” tattoo policy during high school. He’s always smiling and laughing.
But his confidence was tested when the Hornets — the team that drafted him 11th in the 2017 NBA draft — let him walk in free agency last year.
When the clock hit 6 p.m. ET on Aug. 2, 2021, Monk received what he thought would be the first of many calls during his first free agency.
Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka made the initial call, reaffirming Los Angeles’ longstanding interest in acquiring Monk.
Monk was so flattered by the Lakers’ pitch, he considered signing with Los Angeles on the spot. Marcus, who is a Miami-based agent with Excel Sports Management, warned there might not be as much leaguewide interest given Monk’s reputation in Charlotte — but he also felt it was important they evaluate all of their options.
Monk’s standing took a hit in Charlotte for a variety of reasons, including, most notably, an eight-game suspension during the 2019-20 season for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program. (The suspension was initially deemed “indefinite” until Monk complied with the NBA’s program but was capped at eight games due to the league shutting down due to COVID-19. Monk was reinstated on June 8, 2020.)
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Nonetheless, Monk initially expected to re-sign with the Hornets on a multi-year contract and was surprised by their decision to not extend a qualifying offer. But, given his inconsistent playing time in Charlotte, Monk felt he might be better off elsewhere.
“I was down a little bit … for about a day or two,” Monk said. “Then I realized this is all gonna work out for the better.”
Monk viewed free agency as an opportunity to finally find a team that would prioritize his development and feature him in a clearer role. He was convinced there would be plenty of suitors with above-league-minimum offers. But as he waited, only one other team reached out to him: the Dallas Mavericks.
Monk was stunned. He felt the 2020-21 season was the best of his career, highlighted by him shooting 40.1 percent on 3s and posting then-career-highs in points (11.7 per game) and true shooting percentage (56.9 percent).
The Lakers remained the frontrunners because their pitch was more convincing. Monk, refusing to accept his circumstances, contemplated waiting for more suitors. But then Lakers head coach Frank Vogel called. And finally, the most important recruiter of all reached out via text: James.
“I told LeBron I wanted to wait to see my options the next day,” Monk said. “Shit, I didn’t have any options. Called the Lakers right back that second day and I said, ‘I’m coming.’”
Monk and Marcus were frustrated with Charlotte because several teams — including the Lakers in both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons — had tried to trade for Monk over the past few years. They’d pushed the Hornets to accept the deals, particularly ahead of the 2021 trade deadline. But the Hornets refused to trade him — to the Lakers or elsewhere — claiming he was a part of their future. Then, they didn’t extend his qualifying offer or re-sign him, which further hurt his reputation around the league and partially caused him to lose out on millions of dollars.
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“Teams don’t have access to all the information on the character of a person and who the person is,” Marcus said. “They’re not in the locker rooms. … I think all of that stuff played into why there wasn’t much interest. And, from me looking at it as if I’m the other 29 teams, I don’t blame them. … All of those things needed to happen. If those things wouldn’t have happened, he would be in the mindset that he’s in right now.
“He’s literally trying to kill every time he touches the floor. Because there are 29 other teams that had the opportunity to sign him.”
By all accounts, Monk’s been a model citizen with the Lakers — a positive force and a beloved member of the locker room and organization.
“What I love about Malik is that he is a guy who is very confident in himself, but he’s not over-confident … and (he) has a great attitude, a great spirit,” Vogel said. “Really a refreshing guy to be around every day, and his teammates love him, the coaching staff loves him, and it’s just good to have a guy that has that type of confidence.”
Monk is proving to be one of the steals of the offseason. There aren’t many veteran minimum signings that are providing better value.
His play surged after returning from the health and safety protocols at Christmas. After his minutes fluctuated over the first 28 games of the season, Monk honed his shot selection — a point of emphasis from Los Angeles’ coaching staff — and tried harder on defense, which has always been a weakness in his game.
Since then, he is averaging 16.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 49.1 percent overall and 43.5 percent on 3-pointers over 23 games. He’s started 16 of those games and answered the question of who is the fourth-most important Laker.
“My shot selection and the balance of not just falling in love with the 3,” Monk said of his improvement. “Passing them up to get to the lane. Throwing lobs to get to the lane. Throwing pocket passes. Just balancing the game out well. I think that was the biggest thing.”
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The Lakers’ confidence in Monk’s potential gave him the reassurance he had been looking for in Charlotte earlier in his career. Vogel and James have both expressed that they were pushing the Lakers to acquire Monk at the 2021 trade deadline. (James referenced conversations with former assistant coach Jason Kidd, who’s now the head coach of the Mavericks, the other team that tried to sign Monk.)
“I knew that they actually wanted him there,” Marcus said. “And I saw a change in his attitude and his morale. He was just happy. So, for me, that’s when the brother side comes in.”
Monk has gained James’ trust, which isn’t always easy to do, especially for younger teammates.
“The one thing I know is, when LeBron James has the ultimate confidence in you, man, that has to feel good,” assistant coach David Fizdale said earlier in the season. “And I know LeBron’s got big-time confidence in Malik Monk.”
Monk and James have formed a lethal two-man connection in the pick-and-roll, with either player capable of attacking with the ball, rolling to the rim or popping out behind the 3-point line.
“Obviously, he used the offseason as a lot of fuel,” James said. “Not many teams came calling. And I’m happy that we came calling and he chose us and wanted to be a part of this. I’m very proud of that and humble.”
James is constantly in Monk’s ear — on the court, in timeouts, in the locker room, in film sessions — reminding him how important he is to the team.
Look, Malik, we need you to be you and only you. We need you to be aggressive. The best version of yourself.
“LeBron has empowered him to be himself,” Marcus said. “Getting that type of nod from LeBron, it goes a long way. Malik’s (24). He’s trying to fit in. He knows that he has to earn the trust of his teammates. He’s not trying to step on anyone’s toes. … That kind of expedited everything as far as his approach to really finding himself a role with the team.”
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Part of Monk’s preparation for each season is extensive film work to learn about his teammates — how he can fit on and off the ball, how they’ll complement each other, etc. The player he prepared most for, naturally, was James.
Monk studied tape of Richard Hamilton and Brandon Roy, memorizing their footwork, pace and strategies as they curled around screens and created space. He also watched NBA Finals tape of James’ two-man game with Dwyane Wade and Kyrie Irving, identifying that his aggression would be a critical component to making the dynamic work.
One of the key developments that allowed for Monk’s increased role has been his improvement defensively.
Monk’s point of attack defense, helpside rotations — including multiple highlight-reel blocks at the rim — and defensive rebounding have all given the Lakers some necessary juice defensively.
“Containing the basketball, man,” Monk said. “I’ve put a little bit more effort. It’s all about effort, man. I’ve put way more effort than I was on the basketball. Now I just gotta fucking do it off the ball, man, and we’ll be all right.”
Vogel added: “We’re coaching him hard. We’re not letting him hear what everybody’s told him throughout his career: that he’s not a good defender. There’s no reason he can’t be. He’s been challenged, and he’s improving. … And we’re enjoying it. I’m enjoying coaching Malik.”
Monk has become an integral part of the Lakers’ offense. While Westbrook technically remains the third leg of the Big 3, Monk has become a bellwether for the Lakers’ offense. The Lakers are 8-2 in games when he’s scored 22 or more points. When he detonates, the Lakers’ offense is difficult to contain.
“The X-factor, man,” Monk said. “We’ve been looking for it. That’s the biggest thing everybody’s been saying. … You’re lying if you say you don’t see the things said on the TV about everything about us, man. I mean, you could tune so much out man, and you gonna see somewhat. And I really wanted to take that step and take that responsibility. …
“I’ve been really putting that on me and putting just everything on me, man, to be that guy.”
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Until this season, Mock has always lived in the southeast: Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina. He lived in Manhattan for several months in between Kentucky and the NBA during the pre-draft process.
But he’s never experienced something like living in Los Angeles — from the gridlock traffic, to the always-sunny weather, to being a stone’s throw away from the water.
“Hell yeah, this shit’s different,” Monk said. “Super different, man. I love it, though. I stay in the little quiet part, Marina Del Rey, right by the water too. I got my dog out here. I got one of my childhood friends out here. So I’m getting used to it now.
“My first couple months, I was kind of culture-shocked a little bit. Not even culture-shocked. It’s just different than Charlotte. And I adjusted real fast. I love it out here. I actually love it.”
Growing up, Monk heard stories from his grandfather about watching the Lakers on TV. That made donning the purple and gold for the first time a sentimental experience.
“This is the team you want to play for if you want to play basketball,” Monk said. “If you get to the NBA, the Lakers is the team, the franchise, that everybody wants to play for. And if somebody disagrees with that, I think they’re lying. I’ll call their bluff, man. But it’s an honor, man, to put this jersey on, man, and just to rep the Lakers franchise. And that’s why I try to go out there and just give it my all.”
His all has exceeded the Lakers’ high expectations. They uncovered a gem for the price of an aging veteran. Monk has been given the chance he’s always dreamed of — and he’s making the most of it.
“He’s taking full advantage of his opportunity,” James said. “He brings a knockout punch that — to be completely honest with you — we haven’t had on our roster since I got here. Someone that can literally, if he makes one, it can be two, three, four, five in a row. And it comes in bunches. … He’s going to be very key to what we hope to do going down the stretch and for the rest of the season.”
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One of the unfortunate realities of the way Monk’s season with the Lakers has played out is that the Lakers won’t be able to pay him his market value next offseason.
But according to Marcus, who visits Los Angeles every other month, he and Monk haven’t broached the topic yet. Monk is focusing on the task at hand: helping the No. 9-seeded Lakers climb their way up the West playoff standings.
“It seems like the outside world talks about it more than he does,” Marcus said. “He never brings it up. Like, dude just wanna win games for the Los Angeles Lakers right now. And he’s focused on doing what he has to do to be on that floor and to win those games. …
“He’s very appreciative of what the Lakers have done and what they are doing. And he works for the Los Angeles Lakers. And for him to be thinking anything beyond that and trying to help this team win, it wouldn’t be fair to them for believing in him. So I don’t even have those conversations with him. …
“Right now, he’s a Laker. And hopefully, he’ll be a Laker forever.”
Monk admits his mind has wandered to the future. He loves the Lakers organization, his coaches and teammates and Los Angeles. His preference is to make the Lakers his long-term home, if possible.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t look at my future with anything,” Monk said. “I love it here. I’d love to play here again, man. But you never know what’s gonna happen with the NBA. You never know what happens. It’s a business, at the end of the day. But I’d definitely love to play here.
“But I don’t know. It’s hard to call the future.”
As Monk learned last offseason, it’s impossible to predict how a franchise will approach free agency. But the partnership with the Lakers — one years in the making — has been fruitful for both sides, yielding the type of results that indicate he may have finally found the NBA home he’s been looking for.
(Top photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)