Though University of Kentucky guard Malik Monk fell on draft night to the Charlotte Hornets at 11th overall, he has about as high a ceiling as any other player out of this most recent draft class. Michael Jordan and his Hornets opted to take the 19-year-old in hopes of him becoming a complement to All-Star Kemba Walker in that Charlotte backcourt.
Monk was unable to participate in the NBA Summer League earlier this offseason due to a bothersome ankle sprain he sustained during a summer workout. Now with the season just over a month away, head coach Steve Clifford says that same ‘significant’ ankle injury is still nagging Monk, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer:
.@hornets rookie Malik Monk's ankle sprain was a "significant injury," according to coach Steve Clifford, that is still affecting him (MORE)
— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) September 9, 2017
Though it’s clear the injury is still hindering Malik Monk, you have to remain hopeful that he doesn’t miss any time as he still has around 40 days until game action. But if the ankle is still an issue as Clifford indicates, it’s important not to rush Monk back, especially with him being such a young prospect and an integral piece of the Hornets’ future.
Monk was one of the most explosive scorers in the country during his single collegiate season at Kentucky. The 6’3″ off-guard averaged 19.8 points per game while shooting just a hair under 40% from distance.
Along with adding Monk via the draft, the Hornets front office made a bevy of other quiet offseason moves to improve their roster, the splashiest being the trade for Dwight Howard. With an Eastern Conference that looks pretty much wide open after the top few seeds, expect the Hornets to be one of the many teams vying for a playoff spot next season.
