Malik Monk showed why his contract is a steal for the Los Angeles Lakers

When he was signed in the off-season, some people wondered what Malik Monk would offer the Los Angeles Lakers. On Wednesday night, he showed them.

Monk proved why he was such a magnificent signing in free agency as he dropped a season-high 27 points off the bench against the Miami Heat to help LA win 120-117 in overtime. He scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half of the game, and was even red-hot from the three-point range, going 4-7 from beyond the arch.

In the last three games before Wednesday, Monk totaled 10, 13, and 2 points. This was undeniably his biggest night wearing purple and gold and a true coming-out party for the young shooting guard, who began his career in Charlotte.

Malik Monk finally showed why his contract is a steal for the Los Angeles Lakers

Even before the first game of the season, other Lakers and analysts were praising Monk, especially Anthony Davis,  who was a Kentucky Wildcat just like Monk. After the victory, AD celebrated his teammate:

"“We still don’t know how we got him for what we got him for. He can play. He’s just a hell of a player. He’s shot a lot of big shots, made a lot of big shots, and this is going to continue to build his confidence in what we do.”"

Surprisingly, Monk is one of the cheapest contracts LA has on the books. In fact, his $1.8 million deal is the second-lowest for the Lakers, just ahead of Austin Reaves and his $925,000. After a game like Wednesday’s, that seems like a real steal of a deal.

As the season moves forward, it will be very important that the lesser-known players like Monk, Kendrick Nunn, Austin Reaves, and others prove themselves. Especially if some of the big names on the squad are resting or injured. Malik Monk stepped up in a huge way against the Heat and showed why Lakers fans should be really happy to have him.

Celebrating his victory after the game, Monk seemed ready for what comes next. “I was really prepared for this moment,” he said. There’s no denying that.