Hornets discovered the remedy for healing PJ Washington’s and Malik Monk’s woes
When the Charlotte Hornets’ season started, P.J. Washington was hearing criticism for being out of shape and Malik Monk was nowhere near the rotation.
Two months later, Washington was scoring a career-high 42 points and Monk was dissecting the Sacramento Kings for the winning 3-point play in the final 2 seconds.
The Hornets are 2-2 on this West Coast trip, which seems almost inconceivable with them missing three of their top seven players Sunday. That Washington and Monk were the stars of this 127-126 victory is a reminder of something important about the NBA:
Seasons are long, circumstance changes and hot takes are frequently wrong.
Washington got his act together after coach James Borrego publicly called him out over poor conditioning and a shaky preseason. Monk showed maturity and patience over the first 17 games before earning back a spot in the rotation.
It was appropriate, then, that Washington and Monk were the two options on the Hornets’ final possession. Washington so drew the Kings’ defensive attention that Monk had a lane to the rim.
“Because I popped (looking for a jump shot after setting a screen), he was open for the drive,” Washington explained. “He got downhill and made the play for us.”
An abundance of adversity
Beating the Kings — the NBA’s worst defensive team — isn’t a feat. However, consider the circumstances the Hornets overcame Sunday:
Three of their top seven players — Gordon Hayward, Cody Zeller and Devonte Graham — all missed this game with injuries. At tip-off, the Hornets were down to nine available players. Jalen McDaniels made his first NBA start and Caleb Martin, right after missing two weeks in COVID-19 related protocols, played four minutes.
Terry Rozier, Charlotte’s second-leading scorer at 20.6 points per game, had a brutal shooting night, missing seven of his first eight attempts.
Someone different had to take over. Washington did, with 22 first-half points on 9-of-15 shooting.
“That win really goes to P.J.,” said Monk of his fellow Kentucky alumnus.
Things haven’t been simple or easy for Washington this season. He set a high standard by starting his first NBA game as a rookie last season, and then seemed to plateau. He’s being asked to cover two positions, bouncing between power forward and a small-ball center. The offense doesn’t get him nearly so many touches this season, with Hayward and rookie LaMelo Ball handling the ball so much.
On top of that, he had a COVID-19 contact-tracing issue that cost him a week of the season.
“Those seven days were big for me when I was out,” Washington said. “I just couldn’t wait to come back. Excited to be back! Playing with our guys and trying to be aggressive with my touches.”
Borrego coached Washington hard in December. He appreciates Washington took it well.
“He stays with it; he’s not hanging his head,” Borrego said. “He knows we believe in him, and he believes in himself.”
Monk’s grown up, and it’s fun to view
Monk is an entirely different person this season; level-headed, patient, accountable. The drug suspension that ended his prior season shook him up and forced him to self-evaluate.
“He’s gotten his life in order. His head is under control,” Borrego said. “He’s taken what the game gives him, he’s looking at his scouting reports.
“He’s matured.”
Monk acknowledges he wasn’t emotionally prepared to be an NBA player at 19, when the Hornets drafted him in 2017. It took three wildly uneven seasons for him to get to this place. He is fortunate general manager Mitch Kupchak believed in his potential, rather than trade him away.
It speaks to that maturity that Monk’s first instinct was arguing for Washington to take the final shot. Point guard Ball vetoed that.
“I told Melo to pass it to P, and he said, ‘Nah. You get it and shoot it.’” Monk recalled. “I had to make something happen.”
Monk drove to the rim, elevated, and drew contact from the Kings’ Richaun Holmes. Monk’s layup went in, and he then nailed the free throw, completing a comeback from eight points down in the final minute.
Monk always had the talent. The shift was harnessing that into something reliable.
“Like coach always says — resiliency,” Monk said.
Sometimes resiliency is accepting that a suspension could better you. Sometimes it’s taking the ball with everything at stake.
Either way, Monk is a better man this season. And that helps the Hornets be a better team.
This story was originally published March 1, 2021 at 8:46 AM.
