It seemed at the beginning of training camp that Ben McLemore had safely secured his role as the Sacramento Kings starting two guard. However with the combination of inconsistency in his play this preseason, plus with fellow guards like Marco Belinelli and Darren Collison excelling at their current roles there may be a battle developing for that starting shooting guard spot after all.
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For the past few months I have emphasized that McLemore may be the biggest X-Factor on this Kings team right now. His potential is great, as great as if everything goes right he can be a potential All-Star one day. Unfortunately for Kings fans, he hasn’t been close to that yet.
Oct 13, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore (23) dribbles the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers s at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The biggest concern for McLemore has been his level of consistency. Many occasions over the past two years, fans have witnessed flashes here and there of McLemore at his full potential But with that came moments of disappointment as well.
It’s not that he is just inconsistent in some parts of his game, but he has been unpredictable on all elements of his game. He has been a legitimate wild-card for the Kings every game he has played.
To me, the most vital elements that McLemore can improve on this season on is his shooting and defense. If McLemore finds consistency in these two parts of his games, it will help the Kings immensely, not only for this season but going forward.
Overall, the Kings are looking to qualify for the postseason this year, and an efficient Ben McLemore may be necessary to achieve that. There’s no question whether McLemore has the ability to make a name for himself in the NBA.
His athletic ability is off the charts, his shooting stroke is textbook, and his ability to run the floor is exceptional. He has all the tools to be a great player in this league, but it has been his inconsistency on the floor that has held himself and his team back.
With the team trying to find their way back to relevancy, they cannot afford another rebuilding year from McLemore. I believe if McLemore cannot find consistency in his game, this will the his last season with the Kings despite the team picking up his option for next season.
The predictions on how the Kings will perform this upcoming season have varied. Mainly because it’s impossible to predict how some Kings players will look this season (McLemore, Rajon Rondo, Willie Cauley-Stein). McLemore is definitely one of those players, and if he is unable to show more consistency this season, the Kings might be looking for other options at the two guard position.
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