Vecenie is realizing this now only? Monk has always had better playmaking instincts than Fox.
Since Doug Christie became coach, the passes he makes night in, night out, are just phenomenal. Not being in the stands, I keep asking, "How did he do that?" The guy is a wizard with the ball in his hands.
Best case, with LaVine garnering more defensive attention, opponents will not be able to double-team Monk when he crosses mid-court the way they have on occasion. Malik may also feel less pressure to produce, which will lead to a more relaxed and more accurate three-point shot. That's what I hope for.
Also, LaVine is 6' 5", which is an improvement over Fox in the backcourt. He is just as good a rebounder as De'Aaron Fox.