Report: Malik Monk returns to Kings on 4-year contract

The Sacramento Kings will retain a key piece into the foreseeable future as they look to build upon two straight trips to the NBA’s play-in tournament.

Deft scoring guard Malik Monk agreed to remain with the Kings on a four-year, $78million contract, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported late Thursday night.

The last year of the deal reportedly carries a player option.

Monk set career highs last season by averaging 15.4 points and 5.1 assists while finishing second in Sixth Man of the Year award voting.

Monk, a seven-year veteran out of Kentucky, was due to be an unrestricted free agent on June 30.

Malik Monk earned $36M in his first 7 NBA seasons. He'll now earn that across the next 2, locking in a 4 year, $77.98M contract with the #Kings that includes a player option in the final season. https://t.co/umW6SmvrgQ
— Spotrac (@spotrac) June 21, 2024

Monk had been linked to several teams searching for an infusion of perimeter scoring in free agency, including the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic, but those clubs will now need to look elsewhere.

Monk has averaged 11.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 458 career NBA games.

While the Kings have yet to win a play-off series since 2004, Sacramento have strung together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2004-06. In 2023, the club ended a 16-year post-season drought and forced the defending champion Golden State Warriors to a Game 7 in their first-round play-off series loss.