Charlotte Hornets: 3 players not likely to return in 2020-21
3. Malik Monk
Malik Monk is the only person on this list who is under contract next season, meaning Monk is only leaving the Hornets via trade this offseason. Based on his play and his relationship with the franchise, that isn’t as far-fetched as it may seem.
Monk was the 11th overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft out of Kentucky. That means he’s one of the last draft holdovers from the old regime, back when Rich Cho was the general manager of the team; Mitch Kupchak became the president of basketball operations in April 2018.
Related Story. NBA: 5 potential top-tier trade targets. light
The shooting guard struggled to blow the league away during his first two seasons, averaging 6.7 points and 8.9 points per game, respectively. He never drew a start, though he demonstrated some potential on the perimeter, shooting 34.2 percent from three during his rookie season.
He started to show improvement during his third season, boosting his scoring average to 10.3 points per game, though his 3-point shooting percentage declined again. Any goodwill was erased February, however, when Monk was suspended indefinitely for violating the league’s anti-drug program. He hasn’t played since February 25; notably, he scored 25 points in two of his final four games before the ban.
Ian Begley of SNY suggested Monk was a trade target of the New York Knicks back in January, though nothing ever came to fruition. Monk’s trade value may be at an all-time low, but the Hornets would still be right to try and shop him this offseason.