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Sacramento Kings: 3 Goals For Ben McLemore This Season

By Rafe Wong

SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 9: Head coach Dave Joerger of the Sacramento Kings coaches Ben McLemore #23 against the Houston Rockets on April 9, 2017 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 9: Head coach Dave Joerger of the Sacramento Kings coaches Ben McLemore #23 against the Houston Rockets on April 9, 2017 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Now that he is back with the Sacramento Kings, Ben McLemore is looking to turn around his career. Here are three goals that I think Ben needs to focus on in order to have success this season.

An argument can be made that this offseason has been a headscratcher for the Sacramento Kings. A lot of questionable moves have been made in regards of constructing the team’s roster which includes the Kings trading for Ben McLemore.

Originally, Ben started his career with the purple and white in 2013 but left last summer to join the Memphis Grizzlies. Throughout his career, McLemore has been inconsistent and has not lived up to being the seventh overall selection in his draft class. But hopefully, he is able to turn it around this upcoming season.

To me, he will be successful if he focuses on these three goals.

Be A Reliable Shooter

Shooting has always been a staple in McLemore’s game. Even entering the draft, Ben was compared to the legend Ray Allen due to both players having similar shooting mechanics. But unfortunately, McLemore has not been able to produce the same way as Allen has.

During his five-year career, McLemore has made only 35.1% of his three-pointers and his production has been uncertain by the game. Ben should make it a goal this season to become a more consistent shooter. If so, he will earn more trust from his teammates, coaches, and fans as they will know what he brings to the table on a nightly basis.

Improve Defensively

Another reason why Ben was a highly-coveted prospect entering the draft was that of his elite athleticism. In my opinion, Ben will be one of the better athletes this season as he runs the floor well and can levitate when jumping off the ground.

Although McLemore is a great athlete, he has not been successful on the defensive end. He has all the physical tools to be a lockdown defender but has not figured it out yet. If McLemore makes defense a focus and shows improvement this season, it will make him a valuable asset for the Kings. At the moment, the Kings lack quality defenders on their squad, but McLemore definitely has the ability to help them on that end of the floor.

Make The Regular Rotation

Right now it is unknown what role McLemore will have with the Kings this season. In my opinion, it would not be a surprise if he started the campaign on the bench and got very little time on the court. But obviously, McLemore does not want this to happen, which is why the last goal for him should be to gain the trust of Dave Joerger and get consistent playing time throughout the year.

Even if Ben is a regular who comes off the bench, it should be a success for him. The Kings right now are loaded with young shooting guards on their squad, so competition for court time is going to be intense. If Ben is able to make his shots and become an efficient defender, I think his minutes will increase.

Although Ben is considered a veteran on this roster, he is still young enough to be a valuable piece for Sacramento going forth. If he proves that he can be a solid contributor for the team off the bench, he may have a future with the Kings franchise.

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