Charlotte Hornets: 2017-18 player grades for Malik Monk
By Luke Askew
Final grade
It’s always tough grading a rookie and it often seems unfair.
Monk really struggled at times this season. He averaged 3.1 points per game in December, 2.5 points per game in January and 1.6 points per game in February, not to mention his field goal percentages were 32.5 percent in December, 26.9 percent in January and 20.8 percent in February. That’s just awful basketball on the offensive end.
Monk failed to make either of the All-Rookie teams, but this makes sense. In theory, the All-Rookie First Team should be the first five picks and the Second Team should be picks 6-10 (of course this is never how it works out), and Monk was drafted 11th. But let’s be real, Monk wasn’t even close to being a top-10 rookie this season. If they re-drafted the 2017 NBA Draft, I have a feeling he would fall quite a bit.
With that being said, Monk still displayed dazzling flashes of offensive life whether that be with the 3-ball or insane dunking ability (see the highlight against Chicago again for more). So it seems unfair to judge a rookie based on a tough season, but it’s what we do in basketball.
With all that being said, Malik Monk had a really poor rookie season, but this grade is in no way an indictment on his potential; it’s simply grading what I saw in one season from a young, raw prospect.
Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft - Doncic still No. 1 in post-lottery edition
Grade: D