After starting his career in Sacramento, Ben McLemore has joined the Memphis Grizzlies via free agency. Here are five questions for him and the Grizzlies.
After getting drafted out of Kansas as a top prospect, Ben McLemore has had a shaky start to his career in Sacramento. McLemore has spent four seasons with the Kings, under various head coaches.
In his first season, McLemore averaged nearly nine points per game in 55 starts, but he was only shooting 38 percent. This past season, which was his fourth, the Kings’ shooting guard scoring eight points per game, in 26 starts, but his shooting percentage was up to 43 percent.
The Kansas product had a lot of potential coming out, with his 6-foot-5 frame and ability to score and defend. With the Kings’ poor leadership, the young career of McLemore is off to a rocky start. He hasn’t had proper direction from his coaches and has been mixed in as a starter or sixth man and hasn’t had the stability to succeed.
After Sacramento’s front office — led by Vlade Divac — decided to decline his fifth-year option, it seemed like McLemore was on his way out of Northern California. There were numerous suitors, but the former King landed in Memphis for a two-year deal worth $10.7 million.
As McLemore looks to find a new start in Memphis, let’s take a look at five questions we can ask the shooting guard and his new team.
5. Will Ben McLemore be a starter or a bench player in Memphis?
Heading into 2017-18, the starter at shooting guard was unknown for the Grizzlies. The defensive star, Tony Allen, was the long-time starter for Memphis at the two-guard spot. But, Allen is a free agent and exploring other options. The other options on the roster are Wayne Selden and Troy Daniels.
I would think that David Fizdale would lean for the more experienced player in this case, which would be their newly-acquired shooting guard, Ben McLemore. The other starters in the Memphis lineup should be Mike Conley, Chandler Parsons and Marc Gasol around McLemore.
Although Selden and Daniels are other options for the shooting guard position, I think Memphis needs shooting around the current lineup they have and McLemore can provide that. This past season, he shot 38 percent from the three-point line, but it’s gone up six percent since his rookie season.
McLemore has been an on and off starter with the Kings, but I think in Memphis, Fizdale is going to call up his number on a nightly basis. With a stable organization and offensive system, the ex-King should start to flourish next season.
4. Will Ben McLemore become a more consistent shooter?
This will be one of the keys for McLemore’s success in Memphis. In today’s NBA, the two best three-point shooting teams were the ones that ended up in the Finals. For the Grizzlies to reach that level of success, it’s not only important that they defend at a high level. They must also consistently knock down three-pointers to space out a good defense.
This past season, the Grizzlies were middle of the pack for their shooting ability, ranking 17th in the NBA for three-point shooting percentage. One of their primary needs this offseason was to add shooting, especially in replacement for Tony Allen — who was so bad at three-pointers, he was often left wide open.
McLemore wasn’t a top shooter when he came into the NBA. His first season, he shot 32 percent from long-range and 38 percent from the field. He slowly improved in his four seasons and he’s gotten it up to 38 percent from deep and 43 percent from the field.
But for the ex-King to be even more successful in the Memphis blue, he needs to become a more consistent shooter. The Grizzlies will need him to become a knock down shooter to help space the floor with Mike Conley running the point and Marc Gasol controlling the paint.
Based on his improvement in the past four seasons, I expect to see McLemore continue to improve and become a better three-point shooter.
3. Will Ben McLemore continue to sport the No. 23?
Here’s the biggest question of all for the fans that are looking to buy McLemore’s new Memphis Grizzlies’ threads. But so far in his four-year career, the Kings’ shooting guard has already worn two separate numbers. He started his career off by sporting No. 16, but made the switch to No. 23.
Obviously, McLemore has had more success in the No. 23, but there’s also more pressure wearing that number. The constant thought of the GOAT, Michael Jordan, sporting that number always is a thought when a player today wears it.
Who are the players today in the NBA that sport that coveted number? LeBron James and Draymond Green come to mind, but those are two stars who really live up to the aura of that jersey number.
So, in my opinion, to get that monkey off his back, McLemore should switch his number up and sport something else. New city, new number for the new Grizzly. Any guess of what it should be? Maybe 2, 3 or 32, anything that’s not 23.
2. Should Ben McLemore be worried about his first game back in Sacramento?
Here’s one of the things that some players worry about in free agency: What will my reception be like when I come back to my former team? Remember when LeBron went back to Cleveland or Carmelo went back to Denver? Those were some big stars that entered in hostile environments.
Now, now, I’m not saying McLemore is a star like either of those players, but he was a high-draft pick and had huge expectations on his shoulders from day one. He didn’t necessarily live up the hype, but he shouldn’t be worried at all, I mean at all, about his reception in Sacramento.
The fanbase in Northern California, understands that McLemore was stymied by the different leaders in the organization, be it front office or on the bench. Many fans feel that McLemore was undervalued by the team and that hurt his performance.
So when the ex-King returns to Sacramento for one or two games during the NBA regular season, I think the Kings fans will appreciate him. There won’t be any vitriol, hate or booing from the fanbase. Although he underwhelmed during his time here and was expected to be a franchise player and didn’t deliver, it’s not solely on him.
So don’t worry Ben, you won’t get the LeBron/Melo treatment in your first game back at Golden One center.
1. Will Ben McLemore earn another contract in Memphis?
So here’s the million dollar question that everyone wants to know in Tennessee. Will Ben McLemore be a key piece of the Grizzlies that the front office will have to re-sign him when he becomes a free agent in two years.
The ex-King is set to make $10.7 million in the next two years, which is extremely modest for a starting shooting guard in today’s NBA. He could have the chance to be a huge steal on the free-agent market.
Many around the NBA believe that McLemore can be effective if he’s used properly in a stable system. The Grizzlies could definitely use some youth on their roster, especially someone that’s only 24 years old and would only be 26 years old when he’s a free agent again.
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McLemore won’t even be in his physical or mental prime by the time this contract is up. If it clicks between him and the Grizzlies, I can definitely see the young guard staying their in the future. It seems like a great fit for both sides, so hopefully McLemore can find his form in Tennessee.