Ben McLemore could present an interesting, and cheap, option for the OKC Thunder to improve their 3 point shooting.
Once dubbed the next Ray Allen, Ben McLemore has not lived up to the hype so far in his NBA Career. The sharpshooter was drafted with the seventh pick in the 2013 NBA, out of the University of Kansas has yet to see his NBA career get on track. Could he be worth a shot for the OKC Thunder?
McLemore, despite his 368 NBA games played across six NBA season, is still just 25 year’s old.
The 6’5 shooting guard stroked the 3-ball last season at a 41 percent clip (2.2 attempts per game) and can be the long-awaited answer to the shooting needs that the OKC Thunder have had for as long as we can all remember.
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It is possible that McLemore just needs a change of scenery or more consistent playing time. Across his six seasons, five have been in Sacramento, with a brief stint in Memphis in 2017-18 before the Kings brought him back in 2018-19.
McLemore is a sharpshooter with decent defensive, and to play your best in that role, you need consistent shots. His career high in minutes per game is 32 minutes per contest, and in that year he shot the 3-ball at a 35 percent clip on almost five attempts per game.
His best year from deep came last season, in 19 games before the savvy shooter was waived by the surging Kings in February. McLemore posted 41 percent from deep, but on two attempts per game. He only could pull eight minutes a game for a young Kings squad who was trying to make a playoff push.
The above video is a shooting clinic McLemore put on off the Kings’ bench. That would be the same role he would play for the OKC Thunder.
For the OKC Thunder, they need to figure out a way to improve their roster, the team is strapped for cash and have limited trade avenues to explore. McLemore would be a cheap shooting option off the bench.
Ben McLemore posted on his Instagram a video of him working out at the OKC Thunder training facility, and a guy who is out of the league will not command a lot of money. He is primed to be a low risk, high reward shooting option without a ton of investment by Sam Presti’s part.
A notable reminder — Sam Presti loves the 2013 draft class, and McLemore fits that mold.