The Sacramento Kings suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Dallas Mavericks last night. The Kings dropped to the 8th seed following the 107-103 loss to Luka Doncic and Co. But that was just one of the concerns for Sacramento. The team suffered another devastating blow yesterday as their star guard, Malik Monk, injured his knee only 1 minute into the game. Woj reported earlier today that Monk’s regular season is over, as he is expected to be out for four to six weeks due to a sprained right MCL.

Not only has Monk’s injury jeopardized the Kings’ chances in the playoffs, but fans also feared that he would lose out on the 6th Man of the Year award. Monk is having a career year and has been the frontrunner to win the trophy all season. He has played 72 games this season, averaging 15.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds. However, according to the new 65-game rule, only 63 of Monk’s appearances qualify because of less than 20 minutes of playing time. That could have put the Kings star out of the 6MOY contention.

Fortunately, Monk got saved by a loophole in the new rule, as the 6MOY award gets an exception from the 65-game criteria. The league-recognized honors that require a player to meet the 65-game criteria include MVP, DPOY, All-NBA, All-Defense, and Most Improved. That means Monk is still eligible to win the 6th Man of the Year award despite missing the remainder of the regular season due to injury.

Other notable awards not affected by the 65-game rule include Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie Team, and Clutch Player of the Year.

The Sacramento Kings need Malik Monk in the playoffs

Even though Malik Monk is eligible for the 6MOY award, his unavailability for the final stretch of the season could massively impact the Kings. Monk has been a crucial part of the Kings’ success this season averaging career-high points and assists. He generates their offense coming off the bench while their superstars, De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, get some rest. Notably, the shooting guard has missed only one game this season, and the Kings have lost that encounter.

According to the timeline of his expected return, Monk will likely miss the play-in tournament and the initial playoff games if the Kings qualify. That is a major setback for Sacramento as they will be playing against challenging rosters, and Monk could have proven of immense help.

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Now, De’Aaron Fox and Co. will have to come up with a new strategy to qualify for the playoffs amid Monk’s 4-6 weeks absence. If they do, the 26-year-old’s 19.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists average in last season’s playoffs won’t go ignored. How do you think Malik Monk’s injury will affect the Sacramento Kings?

As Worry Floats Over Heated Exchange, Malik Monk Breaks Silence To Coddle Sacramento Fans: “Don’t Think About That”