Malik Monk Cleared for Friday, Saving the Kings' Second Unit

The Sacramento Kings are getting their favorite agent of chaos back on the floor.

According to Underdog NBA, Malik Monk has officially been cleared to play Friday night against the Portland Trail Blazers after an ankle injury kept him in street clothes for Wednesday's regular-season opener.

"Underdog NBA reported that Malik Monk is listed as available to play Friday."

Missing game one of the 82-game marathon is usually just a blip, but for a Sacramento team that relies on Monk to inject pure adrenaline into their second unit, his absence felt like watching an action movie where nobody ever shifts gears.

The guy is the definition of a spark plug. Last season, Monk logged 22 minutes a night across 62 games, serving as the primary shot creator whenever the starters needed a breather. Without him, the Kings' bench offense tends to look like a group of guys who just met in a gym lobby.

For the fantasy managers who drafted him to anchor their guard rotation, you can finally exhale. Prop bettors will also be thrilled to see his name back on the board, though banking on a guy fresh off an ankle tweak to immediately drop 20 points is the kind of thrill-seeking behavior usually reserved for amateur stuntmen.

Now, the Kings get to unleash him against a Portland squad that is still trying to figure out its own identity. Expect Monk to test that ankle early, launch a heavily contested three within his first two minutes of action, and remind everyone exactly why Sacramento needs him.