The Spurs’ front office must fully engage in preparations for the 2024 offseason, armed with a projected $34.4 million in cap space as reported by Spotrac. This offseason looms as one of utmost importance. While Victor Wembanyama’s rookie season has delivered many breathtaking moments, it has also hinted that he might already rank among the NBA’s top twenty players.
Given San Antonio’s significant cap and draft capital for the upcoming offseason, Brian Wright should seize the opportunity to construct a championship-worthy team around Wembanyama. Exploiting this window while Wembanyama remains on his rookie contract would enable the Spurs to invest more in building the strongest possible supporting cast around him.
There’s speculation from Kings writer Elaine Blum about the Spurs potentially acquiring Malik Monk in the offseason. With glaring deficiencies in roster depth, the Spurs must do more than just find a secondary star alongside Wembanyama. It’s evident that the supporting cast requires substantial improvement, and Monk could provide precisely that.
Malik Monk’s playmaking is vastly underrated…
Assists on 16.9% of his drives—highest in the ENTIRE NBA. Despite only playing 26.3 MPG he gets more assists on drives than guys like Luka, SGA, Trae, Hali, etc. Electric speed & pull-up threat creates advantages over & over again. pic.twitter.com/Epn4QxMhqB
— NBA University (@NBA_University) March 21, 2024
Monk, though typically a starting-caliber guard for most teams, has embraced a sixth-man role with the Sacramento Kings, making him a strong contender for the Sixth-Man of the Year award, as indicated by FanDuel’s odds favoring him at -1050.
For those unfamiliar with Monk’s playing style, he is one of the most explosive scorers available, comfortable shooting from anywhere on the court. He excels in the pick-and-roll, particularly alongside Sabonis, and exhibits adept playmaking skills, boasting an NBA-leading 16.9% assist rate on drives despite averaging only 26.3 minutes per game.
The Spurs desperately need a crafty scorer like Monk, who could significantly bolster this young squad. While Lonnie Walker previously occupied a similar role, his tenure with the Spurs was marked by inconsistency. Monk, a former Kentucky Wildcat, has established himself as one of the league’s premier bench scorers, having showcased his abilities with the Hornets, Lakers, and now the Kings.
Malik Monk got BUCKETS tonight in the Kings OT win 😤🪣
39 PTS (season high)
16-29 FGM
5 3PM
4 AST pic.twitter.com/QrD0G1yvrl— NBA (@NBA) March 2, 2024
San Antonio often finds itself in deficits when the bench unit takes the floor, highlighting the unit’s weakness. While players like Blake Wesley and Keldon Johnson have shown improvement, the second unit lacks scoring consistency—a void that Monk could readily fill.
Monk’s impressive averages of 15.6 points and 5.2 assists per game, coupled with shooting splits of 44.3/35.1/88.3, underline his scoring prowess and playmaking abilities. He possesses the potential to erupt for 30 to 40 points on any given night, making him an ideal addition to the Spurs’ free-agent wishlist as they look to utilize their available funds.