MALIK MONK

UPSYDE SPORTS PRESENTS:

KENTUCKY GUARDS AND WHY MAVS NEED MALIK MONK:

I've always been a fan of Kentucky guards. They have a strong track record and some of the best guards in the league were part of the Wildcats system. Just going down the list, here's a quick analysis of the last 6 years of Kentucky guards.

2020: Immanuel Quickley, Tyrese Maxey - Quickley averaged 11.4 PPG, 1.8 3PG, and shot 39% from beyond the arc. He only started 3 games, but they had a logjam at the position and were in a playoff battle. Maxey averaged 8.0 PPG, was efficient at 46% from the field and 87% from the line. With Simmons imploding in the playoffs, he could be in a position for a major role next season if Simmons is moved.

2019: Tyler Herro, Keldon Johnson - Herro has developed incredibly quickly and was crucial his rookie year in the Heat's playoff run. He'll at some point be the starting guard at either the 1 or 2. Keldon Johnson had a big jump in his second season, averaging 12.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.8 APG and has shown his ability to play and guard multiple positions.

2018: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Hamidou Diallo - SGA has become a fringe All-Star. He was the major trade piece in the Paul George trade and has exceeded expectations quickly. Diallo is still trying to find a permanent role for a team. He was traded to Detroit and in 20 games, has averaged a respectable 11.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 0.8 3PG on 47/39/66 splits. Free throws need work, but he's developing into a solid role player. He was barely drafted, so he is far from an elite draft prospect.

2017: De'Aaron Fox, Malik Monk - Fox is a future All-Star. He's been on a really bad team his whole career and he reminds me of Kemba's trajectory. Hopefully he will be freed and sent to a good time before it's too late for him. Monk might not be in the right system - in a year he was supposed to receive an expanded role, they sign Gordon Hayward to a monster contract. Monk is a restricted free agent, and the Wildcat has improved ever year in the league. He has 43/40/82 splits entering free agency and could be an excellent fit for the Mavs. He could probably be had at a much lower price than Tim Hardaway Jr and could fill the void left by Seth Curry.

2016: Jamal Murray, Tyler Ulis - Murray has been an All-Star snub a couple of times already, but should hopefully return to form once he's healthy. Ulis had a solid run, but undersized guards are tough to find roles for in this modern NBA, and he was REALLY undersized. 

2015: Devin Booker - They had the Harrison brothers in this draft too, but neither were high level prospects. Booker was the prize in this draft and he is now in the Western Conference Finals. Ulis was a freshman at the time.

This is just a small sample size, but continuing on, we've also seen John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, and Rajon Rondo come out of Kentucky. They have become a beacon for elite guard talent and BJ Boston is a fringe first round pick going into this summer's draft. While there are other pieces that would need to brought over, I think Malik Monk getting a fresh start in Dallas could be one of the more underrated moves in the off-season, should he become available.

- Adam Safianow - NBA Analyst - Upsyde Sports [Copyright 2021]

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