Malik Monk contract: Dynamic 6th man reportedly returns to Sacramento on lucrative four-year deal

Malik Monk will return to the Sacramento Kings in free agency. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Monk intends to sign a four-year deal. The 26-year-old enjoyed a tremendous run with the Kings after signing with the franchise in the 2022 offseason. Monk has averaged 14.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists, shooting on 45/35/86 splits in 149 games with the Kings.

He was critical to their postseason berth in 2023. Sacramento failing to get past the play-in tournament in 2024 after Monk's injury summed up the impact of his absence on the team. It was a no-brainer for the franchise to offer him a lucrative long-term contract.

Malik Monk contract: Total salary and annual income breakdown

Monk has reportedly agreed to a four-year $78 million contract. He will make roughly $19.5 million annually. That's a massive pay hike for the veteran guard, who made $19.4 million over two years on his first deal with the Kings, which he signed in the 2022 free agency.

Monk is coming off a career-best 15.4 ppg and 5.1 apg season, in which he shot 44.3%, including 35.0% from 3. He played 72 games, all off the bench, as the team's sixth man, a role he cemented with the Kings over the past two years.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Kings negotiated with Malik Monk's agents right after the NBA Finals to avoid free agency and the possibility of losing the Sixth Man of the Year candidate for nothing.

It's the most the Kings could offer their star bench player, and it was their 'offseason priority' to resign him to a long-term extension. The Kings also signed Mike Brown to a three-year $30 million extension, who has been key in elevating Monk's game since the two arrived together two years ago.

Sacramento vows to make a playoff push after key offseason deals

The Kings have made their intentions clear of trusting their core to guide them back to the playoffs after they ended a US sports league record 16-year drought in 2023. Mike Brown and Malik Monk were among the new additions that contributed greatly to their success that year.

The Kings came up short this past season, but late-season injuries to Monk and Kevin Heurter significantly impacted their chances of back-to-back playoff runs. However, when healthy, the Kings did enough to stay competent in the stacked Western Conference that is expected to be even tougher this upcoming season.