2017 NBA Mock Draft: New York Knicks and the value of the point guard

9. Dallas Mavericks: Malik Monk, Kentucky Wildcats

Position: Guard
Age: 19 (2/4/1998)
Height, Weight, Wingspan: 6’3″, 197 pounds, 6’6″
2016-17 Slash Line: .450/.397/.822
2016-17 Season Averages: 32.1 MPG, 19.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.7 3PM

The Dallas Mavericks have a rising star at small forward in Harrison Barnes, and will attempt to re-sign promising young center Nerlens Noel. Dallas also has the ageless Dirk Nowitzki at power forward and the two-way Wesley Matthews at shooting guard.

The primary void remaining on the roster is that of a point guard, and best available option at this stage of the annual selection process would be Malik Monk.

Monk may be the most polarizing prospect in this draft class, but he has the tools to be an explosive scoring threat. He has one of the smoothest jump shots in this draft class, owns a 42” max vertical leap, and moves exceptionally well without the ball in his hands.

The question, of course, is how that would help the Mavericks when they so clearly need a point guard—a question that may have been answered by J.J. Barea and Seth Curry.

Dallas comfortably played Curry, who’s smaller than Monk, at shooting guard during the 2016-17 season. Monk is every bit the marksman that Curry is, as well as a significantly better athlete, which implies that he could receive similar opportunities to work without the ball.

Whether Monk plays the role of a true point guard or a Barea type of playmaker, the Mavericks would finally take the gamble they’ve needed to take at the point guard position.