SACRAMENTO – Despite rumors swirling that the Kings are open to trading Malik Monk, coach Doug Christie said Tuesday that he expects the veteran guard to still be wearing a Sacramento jersey at the end of the 2025-26 NBA season.

“Until otherwise, I expect him to be here for his contract,” Christie said shortly after the Kings’ 136-127 loss to the Detroit Pistons at Golden 1 Center. “He’s signed to be a Sacramento King. He’s going to be a Sacramento King. If something else happens … that goes when trades and all that stuff come into play.”

Since joining the Kings as a free agent before the 2022-23 season, Monk’s popularity has soared in the state capital to the point where he is now one of the most beloved players on Sacramento’s roster.

That was on full display Tuesday when Monk strolled to the scorer’s table to check in for the first time.

In unison the Golden 1 Center crowd roared in appreciation at a level surpassed only when Monk canned a 3-pointer early in his first rotation.

He finished with nine points in just under 14 minutes, shooting 3 of 8 with a pair of 3-pointers to go with two of steals.

A nice night, for sure, but not enough to erase the looming cloud of a potential trade that lingered overhead at G1C. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported early Tuesday morning that the Kings have made Monk available to teams ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

When asked about the rumors, Christie deflected.

“That’s a [general manager Scott Perry] question,” Christie said. “I don’t have any anything there, but I love Malik. Always have. What we’re trying to do here is bigger than any one player, two players, anything. We’re trying to set something that is sustainable. We just changed things up in this particular moment.”

Monk was not available for comment. He changed quickly after the game and was long gone by the time media was allowed into the Sacramento locker room.

When Christie talked to reporters, he insisted things between himself and Monk are OK.

“Nothing personal, nothing like that.,” Christie said. “I’ve told him that I love him to death. But we are trying to shake things up, and we’re going to figure out how to find a way to be, first of all, competing at a really high level and playing to our standard, a particular standard.”

A former Sixth Man of the Year runner-up who re-upped with the Kings last summer when he inked a four-year, $78 million contract, Monk was projected to be a big part of Sacramento’s once-promising future.

A lot of that promise has changed over the last two seasons. Mike Brown was fired as head coach after helping the Kings end the longest playoff drought in NBA history. Popular point guard De’Aaron Fox was traded to the San Antonio Spurs last season.

It appears that Monk might be the next one out the door.

“You never know,” Christie said. “When I was here in this jersey, I didn’t expect to get traded. It did happen.”

That was in 2005 when the Kings sent Christie to the Orlando Magic for Cuttino Mobley and Michael Bradley. If Monk is traded, the price of acquiring him could and should be a lot more.

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