The Sacramento Kings have started the 2024-25 season with a 12-13 record, a mild disappointment with their new-look lineup. Adding DeMar DeRozan in the offseason certainly raised expectations, but as they sit in 12th place in the Western Conference, obvious changes had to be made.
Kings head coach Mike Brown made a huge change that everyone has been waiting for, starting Malik Monk. Since signing with the Kings in the 2023 offseason, Monk played 169 games, all coming off the bench. Finally, Monk was inserted into the starting lineup, and the difference has been significant.
In five games as a starter, Monk is averaging 19.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game, leading the Kings to a 3-2 record and the best offensive rating in the NBA in that span. Of course, with Monk starting, talented guards Kevin Huerter and Keon Ellis have officially landed permanent bench roles.
Huerter has started nearly every game since arriving in Sacramento, so his new role as a sixth man is very different. The Kings are significantly better with Monk in the starting lineup, and head coach Mike Brown told the media how comfortable he feels with Huerter coming off the bench (via Brenden Nunes | Sactown 1140).
"Real comfortable," Brown says about Huerter's new role. "It’s a matter of can he play at a high level [for 12 straight minutes]… he’s shown the last couple of games that he can do it. We have to be ready to throw somebody out on that floor though, to sub for him, in case his play falls off at all."
Asked Mike Brown how comfortable he is with this role for Huerter moving forward:
“Real comfortable. It’s a matter of can he play at a high level (for 12 straight minutes)… he’s shown the last couple of games that he can do it.”
“We have to be ready to throw somebody out on… https://t.co/fXnRW86zd2 pic.twitter.com/q48Q7JbGQE
— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) December 11, 2024
With Monk in the starting lineup, Brown has done something interesting with Huerter's minutes. Brown has been playing Huerter for 12 consecutive minutes at a time, letting the sharpshooter find his rhythm instead of cutting his minutes short before he can make a difference.
Brown also admitted that there are only so many minutes to go around, which leads to some other guys not getting as much of an opportunity, but needing to be ready to go when needed.
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