Hornets extend a qualifying offer to point guard Devonte Graham, but not Malik Monk

The Charlotte Hornets are extending a qualifying offer to point guard Devonte Graham, which would make him a restricted free agent, the team announced Sunday. Meanwhile, the Hornets decided not tender Malik Monk, which means his time with the Hornets is over.

As a restricted free agent, the Hornets can retain Graham by matching any offers from other teams.

The Hornets drafted Graham, 26, in the second round of the 2018 NBA draft. He averaged 14.8 points and 5.4 assists during the 2020-21 season.

The Hornets took Monk with the 11th pick in the 2017 draft. He averaged 11.7 points off the bench last season.

Monk’s time with the Hornets was full of ups and downs.

Despite being a lottery pick in 2017, he started in only one game in his four seasons with the Hornets. Monk said in an interview with the Observer in February 2020 that he wasn’t mature enough, after one season at Kentucky, to adapt to the NBA as a 19-year-old rookie. Later that month, the NBA suspended Monk indefinitely without pay under its anti-drug policy.

He was reinstated in June 2020.

Monk missed last season’s training camp after testing positive for COVID-19. He initially fell out of the rotation and expressed frustration about it.

Monk eventually got back into the lineup and had arguably the best season of his career. He shot 40% from 3, and 43.4% overall.

Monk would have likely continued to come off the bench with Terry Rozier, LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward all returning.