Following a breakout year with the Charlotte Hornets in which Malik Monk shot a career best 40.1% from three and showed improvement on both ends of the ball, the team decided not to tender him a qualifying contract offer and made him a free agent.
In stepped the Los Angeles Lakers and general manager Rob Pelinka, who were starving for more shooting and potentially dynamic offensive assets. Monk certainly fit the bill, having scored more than 20 points on eight occasions last season, and more than 30 points two other times.
Despite that production and promise, the team was still able to sign Monk to a veteran’s minimum deal, and he expressed his rationale for the decision at his introductory press conference:
“The environment, man,” Monk said of why he joined the Lakers.