Memphis Grizzlies: Expectations for Ben McLemore
Free agent acquisition Ben McLemore will finally make his debut with the Memphis Grizzlies. What are the expectations for his fit with this team?
After a few lost seasons in Sacramento, Ben McLemore has a chance to turn his career around with the Memphis Grizzlies. The 2013 lottery pick came into the league as an athletic two-guard with an elite shooting stroke. On paper, he looked like a future top-10 shooting guard. Instead, he fell into NBA purgatory with the toxic Sacramento Kings.
Now, he has a fresh change of scenery with long-time veterans Mike Conley and Marc Gasol leading the way. They also have a coach who strives to maximize a player’s potential by placing them in certain situations. Fizdale has helped players like James Ennis and JaMychal Green become reliable NBA starters. In addition, he’s helped guys like Chandler Parsons and Tyreke Evans bounce back from injury with important bench roles.
With a more stable environment, Ben McLemore has a chance to revive his career. He may not become a crazy scorer, but he can establish himself as a legitimate NBA starter on a playoff team.
What are some realistic expectations for him? Which former Grizzly players could McLemore emulate to succeed in this system?
Expectations
To make things clear, don’t set a super high expectation where you think Ben McLemore breaks out and becomes a fringe All-Star. It probably won’t happen, but he could become a pivotal role player for this team.
Both Dave Fizdale and Mike Conley talked about how McLemore could play a key role in the offense:
"“We don’t have a catch-and-shoot player. That’s his game – to come off screens and bring a high-motor element to our shooting game,” Griz coach David Fizdale said. “We’re excited to have him back.”“A guy like him who can come off screens full speed and shoot the ball is an aspect of the game we’ve been missing,” Conley said."
This particular skillset reminds me of a few former Grizzlies.
Last year, Troy Daniels was that guy for the Grizzlies. However, he couldn’t do much else if his shot isn’t falling. In the process, it led to inconsistent playing time — and a trade.
If McLemore can do Daniels’ role but be more serviceable, he’d be a huge lift for the Grizzlies. It certainly wouldn’t be ideal, but it could be good enough — given the Grizzlies’ roster makeup.
The best-case scenario for McLemore is to be a more shot-happy Courtney Lee. Over the course of this seven-year playoff run, there wasn’t a role player more underrated than Lee. He defended at an above-average level, could play both wing positions and was a great shooter from mid-range and deep. The only problem with him, though: he didn’t shoot enough.
Lee averaged 10.3 points in Memphis but only shot the ball 8.4 times a game — 2.8 attempts from deep. He shot the ball a decent amount for being a fourth option, but he needed to shoot more 3’s.
McLemore is averaging 3.6 3-point attempts per game for his career. If he can hover around 12-14 points a game and five 3-point attempts per game, he’d be a great asset to this team. If he can become a serviceable defender, he’d basically be Courtney Lee 2.0.
Next: Grizz defense strength continues to strive post-GNG
Closing Remarks
Memphis Grizzlies fans should be excited about the acquisition of Ben McLemore. He’s a young guard with incredible athleticism and bounce. In addition, he has a smooth shooting stroke that could allow him to become a nice scorer.
If he can turn around his career in Memphis, McLemore could become a key piece for the future.