If the Minnesota Timberwolves choose to select a guard in next week’s draft, that guard very well might be Kentucky’s Malik Monk. The freshman is entering the league after posting 19.8 points per game over his 38-game college career. He is regarded as one of the premier shooters in the draft’s player pool.
Why Would Monk be a Good Fit in Minnesota?
Monk would step in and instantly be one of Minnesota’s best perimeter shooters. The Arkansas-native shot 39.7 percent from behind the arc with 2.7 made 3-pointers per game for Kentucky. He has shown the ability to shoot from NBA distance and looks comfortable shooting off the dribble, coming off screens and catching and shooting.
The Wolves ranked 20th last season at 34.9 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau certainly would like the team to become more efficient, but also would like to climb out of the league’s cellar with 601 made 3-pointers. For reference, only four other teams made fewer than 700 and the Houston Rockets nearly made twice as many (1181).
Where would he fit on the current roster?
Assuming Zach LaVine is ready to start the season, Monk won’t crack the starting lineup as a rookie. However, he would provide a much-needed scoring punch to the league’s worst scoring second unit. While he was not asked to play much point guard at Kentucky, he has said he sees himself as a combo guard in the NBA. Pairing a potentially dynamic scorer with Kris Dunn is an interesting idea as it would take some offensive pressure off the defensive-oriented Dunn. It’s also possible to envision LaVine playing heavy minutes with the second unit as the primary scorer and ball-handler while Monk gets a little extra run as a spot-up shooter with Ricky Rubio and the starting lineup.
Why Would Monk Not be a Good Fit in Minnesota?
Being slightly undersized might make things difficult defensively for Monk. At just 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, he will have his hands full with most of the league’s shooting guards. The Wolves could utilize the length of either Dunn or Rubio to help mask Monk’s lack of size. The question then would be is he quick enough with adequate basketball smarts to keep up with the league’s best point guards? These questions are not answered and it’s unclear whether Thibodeau would be willing to risk what he hopes to be his last lottery pick for awhile on that kind of uncertainty on the defensive end.
Will he be Available at the Seventh Pick?
While Monk is usually not projected to go in the first six picks, all it takes is one team to fall in love with his scoring ability to select him before Minnesota is even on the clock. If Philadelphia (picking third) truly sees Ben Simmons as its primary ball handler of the future, it is definitely reasonable that the 76ers would consider picking Monk. With Monk being widely-regarded as the draft’s top shooting guard, he could also be a target if a team with that positional need were to trade up. If available, Monk would provide the Wolves some much-needed shooting help in the draft and would allow them to address defensive needs in free agency.
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