Malik Monk posts somber message as he remains in health and safety protocols for Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers guard Malik Monk isn’t a fan of being in the league’s health and safety protocols.

Monk, who hasn’t played for the Lakers since Dec. 12, posted a message stating his desire to return to the basketball court on Instagram.

Lakers fans will love to see that Monk is itching to get back on the court, but the team will be without him until he can clear the league’s protocols. Monk is one of several Lakers out of the lineup at the moment.

The University of Kentucky product came to Los Angeles this past offseason after spending the first four seasons of his NBA career with the Charlotte Hornets.

The No. 11 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Monk has been solid in his first season as a Laker. The 23-year-old is averaging 9.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Monk has mainly been a bench player for the Lakers, as he’s started just two of the 28 games he’s appeared in this season. However, he is still playing 23.8 minutes per game and has provided the Lakers with some solid scoring off the bench.

The Lakers certainly hope that Monk will be able to clear the protocols and return to the court as soon as possible. As much as he misses playing, the Lakers may miss him more.

Los Angeles lost to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night to fall to 16-15 on the season and is currently just the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.