Los Angeles Lakers: Why Malik Monk should start in 2021-22

The Los Angeles  Lakers organization has stated publicly that it is still deliberating which two players will take the final two spots in the starting lineup for their opening night game against the Golden State Warriors on October 19th. Head coach, Frank Vogel, told the media on October 16th, that he would hold several meetings with the front office and team captains to determine the two players who are best suited to be in the starting lineup on opening night.

However, it shouldn’t be difficult for the Lakers to determine which players will be in the starting lineup as those players will be required to play the role of floor spacer. The Lakers spent nearly a quarter of their possessions last season, either in the low post or in the pick and roll.

They were in the top 5 in post-up possessions, averaging 9.3 per game. Those post-ups accounted for 8.5 percent of their possessions last season. When the Lakers ran post-ups, it featured either Anthony Davis or LeBron James as they combined to average 8.2 post-ups per game, almost 90 percent of the team’s total possessions.

On the other hand, the Lakers complemented their post-up sets with pick and rolls as they spent 15 percent of their possessions in that particular play type last season, averaging 16.6 per game. Most of those possessions went to either James or Dennis Schröder as they averaged a combined 12.4 possessions per game, nearly 75 percent of the team’s possessions.

The team is unlikely to change how they run their offensive system this season as Davis and James are still a part of the team. More importantly, the team acquired Russell Westbrook during the off-season to replace Schröder.

Westbrook is a player who likes to have the ball in his hands as he has spent 26.6 percent of his possessions in the pick and roll since 2015, averaging 7.6 per game. Consequently, the Lakers will likely give Westbrook and James the lion’s share of their pick-and-roll possessions.

Therefore, the other two starters will spend most of the minutes standing behind the three-point line in the role of spot-up shooter, as the Lakers typically like to have three players standing behind the arc when they are running either of those offensive sets. For example, James dribbled the ball up the middle of the court, early in the first quarter of a preseason game against the Warriors.

Once James got to the three-point line, he passed the ball to Davis, who was positioned in the mid-block on the right-wing. Davis decided to face up and shoot a mid-range jumper over the Warriors’ forward, Kevon Looney. While Davis had the ball on the mid-block, James, Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony were all standing behind the arc in the role of spot-up shooter.

This particular play wasn’t the only time that players who have been off the ball have been subjected to the spot-up shooter role as Marc Gasol and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope spent over 30 percent of their possessions in the role last season, averaging 1.6 and 3.4 per game, respectively.

Let’s take a look at why Malik Monk has the skills required to fill one of the two open spots in the Los Angeles Lakers starting lineup

Consequently, the Lakers need players in the starting lineup who have a history of excelling in the spot-up shooter role. One player who fits this criterion is Malik Monk. Monk has been in the role over 30 percent of the time throughout his career.

He has made 43.5 percent of his spot-up attempts on 2.9 shots per game in three seasons. Monk’s statistics are better than Anthony, Bazemore, and Kendrick Nunn, who all shoot below 40 percent during their careers in the spot-up role.

The only obstacle to playing Monk in the starting lineup is that he is recovering from a right groin strain that he suffered during a preseason game against the Warriors on October 8th. The injury has put his status in question for opening night. Vogel is hopeful that he can be back on opening night.

If healthy, he is the best possible candidate to fill one of the two remaining starting spots. In conclusion, Monk’s history of success in the spot-up shooter role makes him an ideal fit for the starting lineup.