Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers: 2017 Draft Prospect Malik Monk Increasingly Relevant

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Malik Monk may not be considered among the elite talents in the 2017 NBA Draft class before the season. But Monk has made himself entirely relevant to the Philadelphia 76ers in the lottery conversation.

Coming into the season, Kentucky guard Malik Monk found himself on the outside looking in on NBA lottery conversations. He shows promise as an ultra-athletic 5-star prospect . That makes him worth keeping tabs on for the Philadelphia 76ers.  On the other hand, the consensus remains that he is an unpolished specimen than an NBA-ready stud.  On top of that, he shares the backcourt with another highly-touted prospect, De’Aaron Fox.

He’s worked hard to change those perceptions. So far, it’s been working. . Monk’s most heavily criticized weakness, his shooting consistency, has been one of his strongest assets. He’s quickly emerging as somebody the Philadelphia 76ers should keep an eye on, something I covered back in September.

Monk’s fit with the Sixers as a potential high-lottery selection got unique backing over the past few days. As a matter of fact, Brett Brown stated that Ben Simmons, upon his return, would be the team’s point guard. That opens the discussion to the next playmaker.  And truth be told, Malik Monk name bubbles to the top of that discussion.  He can play off the ball at a high level as an incredibly valuable addition in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Nov 25, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Malik Monk (5) reacts with forward Edrice Bam Adebayo (3) during the game against the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks in the second half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated Tennessee-Martin 111-76. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Don’t Convert His Natural Talents

Most NBA teams will likely look to switch Monk to point guard.  After all,he has the court vision and passing skills needed to carry that load when they do so. With that said, though, he has shown immense prowess off the ball with Kentucky this season.  He grooves naturally in the role of swingman alongside the likes of Fox and Isaiah Briscoe.  That has allowed him to fully maximize his scoring threat in impressive fashion.

His skillset translates into operating at a high level at either guard position.  Monk could be the shooting guard that helps push the Sixers to the next level.  And Philly’s expertise in migrating players to their natural skillset would optimize Monk’s potential in the NBA.

Watching Monk play this season, his potential as a Sixer appear endlessly bountiful at times. He has shot 38.2% from deep on nearly 8 attempts per game.  His proficiency as a strong percentage shooter is cemented by the  shear volume of shots. He looks extremely confident in his shooting stroke, and has shown incredible range both off the bounce and in catch-and-shoot scenarios.

This is an adjustment from his high school game, and one that he has made with uncanny effectiveness.  Monk has always excelled as a slasher, getting into the paint and putting on a show from an athletic standpoint. Now, he’s showing a rare level of balance as a perimeter scorer, spacing out the opposition and opening up a plethora of options for John Calipari’s offense at Kentucky.

The timing of Monk’s arrival to the 76ers roster couldn’t be more well timed.  Gerald Henderson is infusion Philadelphia passion and fortitude into the rookie roster this year.  Monk would be an ideal heir apparent to Henderson at shooting guard.

Dec 3, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Malik Monk (5) dunks the ball against the UCLA Bruins in the second half at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

More Room To Improve

We’ve seen the Sixers’ improve tremendously as an outside shooting team this season, but they still aren’t all that set long term. They have a bevy of veteran stopgaps who have stabilized their shooting is ways we haven’t seen in recent years, but adding a young piece like Monk to help reassure that notion long term would be a massive boost.

More from The Sixer Sense

In addition to his benefits as a floor spacer, his overall scoring is something that Philadelphia could, in general, benefit from. With Joel Embiid and to a lesser extent Jahlil Okafor carrying the scoring load from the post, the Sixers still haven’t found a go-to option on the perimeter. In a league that is so heavily skewed towards elite guard play right now, the obvious benefits of just having Monk’s offensive explosiveness alongside their budding post presence can’t be overlooked.

His 3-point shooting will obviously be a large portion of his scoring at the next level, but don’t let his sudden success from deep cloud your perspective on just how well he scores from everywhere else on the court as well. There are few guards with the type of explosiveness Monk possesses. He has garnered legitimate Derrick Rose comparisons throughout the offseason, and that type of upper echelon athletic profile–alongside a strong 3-point shot–opens up a lot of easy scoring routes.

Dec 3, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Malik Monk (5) reacts during the game against the UCLA Bruins in the second half at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Self Propelled Offense

Monk can beat his man off the dribble at any level, and his finish above the rim or carving out space with his athleticism isn’t something that raises questions. He tends to over-dribble at times in the past, but his ability to penetrate the defense and create opportunities in a myriad of ways is one of the most impressive aspects of his game. Having such a dynamic exterior scorer alongside the likes of Embiid and Simmons is a luxury that Brett Brown and company could benefit from in a number of ways.

Monk is a strong defender on the outside as well, even if his strength is still a work in progress by NBA standards. In fact, he has all the athletic tools to be effective on both sides of the ball for Philadelphia. That strength takes away real concerns when plugging him into an NBA rotation.

Monk could be had with what appears to be a strong draft year for the Philadelphia 76ers. The team currently boasts multiple picks in the draft, and could add more if the team deals Nerlens Noel.

While I’m not saying take him first over the likes of Lonzo Ball and Markelle Fultz just yet, there’s certainly a lot to ponder here. If he continues to produce at the level he has thus far, there’s no reason why he can’t feasibly reach the status that those two have already–seemingly–locked up.

He succeeds in his off-the-ball game more than a true distributor like Ball or Fultz.  That fit aligns perfectly to a roster alongside Simmons.  Additionally, he continues to produce in arguably the most talented backcourt in the country. He’s somebody who will eventually show up on every radar.  But now that he has applied his talent to the court itself at the college level, there’s no longer room for error–Malik Monk may hear his name called by the Philadelphia 76ers come 2017.

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