Monk or Ellis? Kings excited for beginning taking pictures guard competitors initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Bay Space
SACRAMENTO — The most important query looming over the Kings as they enter coaching camp Tuesday is who will likely be their beginning two guard for the 2024-25 NBA season.
If Kings coach Mike Brown and the remainder of the staff made one factor clear, it’s that the competitors will likely be a welcome sight.
Kevin Huerter was the man for the previous two seasons. That modified on the finish of final season solely after he sustained a season-ending harm.
Insert Keon Ellis.
From undrafted rookie to the G League, then from a two-way participant to an NBA Play-In Event starter, Ellis was the epitome of somebody benefiting from a chance and working with it. When Ellis initially was supposed to only be a “fill-in,” his success within the lineup now presents Brown with a tough resolution.
Do you begin Ellis, a participant who, in a comparatively small pattern measurement, has confirmed he not solely belongs within the NBA however can affect profitable on a staff with playoff aspirations? To not point out a staff that lengthy has aimed toward enhancing defensively, the place Ellis excels most.
Or do you have a look at Malik Monk, who willingly took a pay lower this summer time to stay in Sacramento, and construct upon his perception within the staff’s potential?
Huerter nonetheless is rehabbing his shoulder harm and will likely be re-evaluated in mid-October. However as soon as he’s again, each time that is perhaps, is he an choice to reclaim his place?
Brown, regardless of going through a tricky resolution, is grateful for the choices he has, and appears ahead to how the competitors will play out in October.
“The very first thing I’ll say is that this: I would like guys on my staff to not solely need to begin however need to be the most effective,” Brown mentioned Monday at Kings media day. “You need everyone in your staff to need to have a dedication to being their finest, and also you need everyone to need to be at their highest degree in a gaggle. However clearly not everyone can begin. So, I am excited that Malik desires to start out. I do know his teammates are excited that he is that sort of competitor, however I additionally know that Malik is in regards to the staff, and he would not do something to disappoint his teammates, particularly his finest buddy on the staff.
“He would not need to carry them down, and simply as importantly, he would not need to carry down the town of Sacramento. So, I do know he’ll embrace no matter position we throw at him whereas persevering with to compete and push whoever is in entrance of him or to the aspect of him or behind him, whereas we’re making an attempt to get higher as a gaggle.”
Once you ask Monk – and we did – he responds in true Malik Monk vogue.
As one reporter instructed there was a little bit of a logjam on the two-guard spot, Monk lower him off: “The place?”
He then made a correction, stating he isn’t a taking pictures guard and moderately simply identifies as a “guard.”
Traditional Monk.
The 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Yr runner-up performed the most effective basketball of his seven-year professional profession throughout his first two seasons with Sacramento. He did that in 149 video games – all off the bench. It’s a task he has thrived in and made his personal with an unmatchable quantity of swagger, vitality and effectiveness.
However in some unspecified time in the future, everybody desires to start out. Particularly somebody as aggressive as Monk. That mentioned, as Brown talked about, Monk is a staff participant and absolutely will likely be OK with no matter position the Kings want him to play.
The identical goes for Ellis, who mentioned Sacramento’s teaching employees hasn’t looped him in on the place he may stand with the beginning job.
“I have never heard something, actually, however I am open to something,” Ellis mentioned Monday. “No matter it’s to have the staff win and look good, I am undoubtedly down to take action. Whether or not or not it’s beginning or off the bench, no matter, I am prepared for it.”
The man whose job is not in query — star level guard De’Aaron Fox — additionally is happy to see how the competitors performs out.
“I feel competitors is all the time nice for a staff,” Fox mentioned. “You go into it and you’ve got guys which might be preventing for a spot. And clearly nobody’s on the market going to be making an attempt to harm one another, however you get the most effective out of one another. You get the most effective out of a staff whenever you’re really preventing for a place.
“So, I feel it will be a very good battle.”
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