Malik

Monk

Carter popped up on the injury report Monday afternoon with a back injury and has since been ruled out for the game against the Grizzlies. Malik Monk and Nique Clifford should both see more minutes and are worth streaming on a three-game slate with Carter out.

Carter’s late addition to Monday’s injury report doesn’t bode well for his availability. If Carter is unable to take the court, Malik Monk and Nique Clifford should see a boost in minutes, making both guards appealing streamers for the small slate.

Monk played 28 minutes off the bench, getting most of the backup point guard minutes in Saturday’s defeat. To his credit, he played well, committing just one turnover and shooting 50 percent from the field. However, it’s fair to wonder if Monk will get point guard minutes at Devin Carter’s expense the rest of the season. The 2024 first-round pick played just six minutes against the Spurs after averaging nearly 27 per over Sacramento’s prior six games. For the sake of the Kings’ rebuild, Carter should play more over the final two months of the season. But that may not be head coach Doug Christie’s opinion.

Having missed the Kings’ final two games before the All-Star break, Monk will be available on Thursday. He should take on his usual role as the second unit’s top offensive option in the short term. However, Monk’s playing time could decrease as the Kings look to develop Devin Carter while also improving their draft lottery odds.

Wednesday’s game will be the third that Monk has missed due to illness. Devin Carter has picked up additional rotation minutes in Monk’s absence while also benefiting from the Kings’ decision to trade Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis to the Cavaliers.

Monk will miss a second consecutive game due to illness. His absence on Saturday resulted in more minutes for Devin Carter, who logged 27 and scored 18 points. While he isn’t worth streaming in this spot, Carter is a player who could have added fantasy value after the All-Star break.

After scoring 18 points in Friday’s loss to the Clippers, Monk will not play against the Cavaliers. His absence frees up opportunities for some of the Kings’ reserves, especially with Zach LaVine and De’Andre Hunter also out. Nique Clifford, Devin Carter and Daeqwon Plowden should play plenty, with the former likely moving into the starting lineup.

Monk was consistent as a scorer throughout Friday’s contest, but his biggest moments came in the third and fourth quarters, when his three-point shooting put the Kings on a run and at one point gave them a fourth-quarter lead. All of the veteran combo-guard’s scoring came from deep in this game, as he finished with at least six triples for the third time this season. Monk appears to be firmly back in the nightly rotation following a stretch earlier in the season in which he saw DNP’s. He’s capable of big nights, but isn’t someone fantasy managers should get excited about.

Monk is good to go after being listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. With Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis no longer in the picture, and Russell Westbrook out due to injury, Monk should feature within the Kings’ backcourt rotation. He may put up a nice stat line if the ankle doesn’t flare up.

Monk returned to the Kings’ rotation on Friday after missing two games with a sore right ankle, playing 23 minutes in a loss to the Celtics. Since Sacramento was still without Russell Westbrook, there was room in the rotation for Keon Ellis, who logged 20 minutes. If Monk and Westbrook can’t play on Sunday, Ellis’ fantasy ceiling will be raised.