Malik Monk was absent from the Sacramento Kings’ lineup against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, and the team has now confirmed that he will miss several more games as he recovers.
Monk, a key guard for the Kings, suffered a moderate sprain to his right ankle and will be reassessed by team medical staff in about two weeks, according to an official team press release shared by James Ham of The Kings Beat on Twitter.
The injury occurred during the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Phoenix Suns. Although Monk’s condition is serious enough to keep him off the court for a period, X-rays thankfully showed no structural damage to the ankle, giving the team hope for a relatively swift recovery.
A top bench player for the Kings and one of the NBA’s most impactful reserves, Monk has been averaging 12.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists over 10 games this season.
His role as an explosive scorer and playmaker off the bench became even more prominent last year, when he delivered a career-high performance by averaging 15.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists over 72 games.
This breakout season not only helped drive the Kings to a strong showing, but it also secured Monk a four-year, $78 million contract in free agency this past summer, reflecting his growing value to the team.
ICYMI: The Kings will be without last season's Sixth Man of the Year runner-up for at least a couple weeks: https://t.co/yC9bqn83WZ
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) November 12, 2024
