Kingsfan23
All-Star
Is Ben still salvageable at all?
Ben McLemore
- Thread starter Kingsfan23
- Start date
Um, say what?
ParniValjak
All-Star
I think it is best to part ways both for Ben and the franchise. With Temple and Richardson on the books and Bogdanovic likely on the way in next season, there is just not enough roster spots for us to keep Ben.
ockingsfan
Starter
Ben is salvageable. I wish him the best of luck in his current audition.
Let's see what he does over the next few weeks, if he is not traded.
He definitely works better when there is no clear #2 option (i.e. Rudy Gay) on the floor with him and therefore, he becomes more aggressive, which is what he needs to be.
Ben has always been at his best there are not two dominant scorers on the floor with him. Look at his past history, his best games have been with both DMC and Gay out of the lineup.
Let's see what he does over the next few weeks, if he is not traded.
He definitely works better when there is no clear #2 option (i.e. Rudy Gay) on the floor with him and therefore, he becomes more aggressive, which is what he needs to be.
Ben has always been at his best there are not two dominant scorers on the floor with him. Look at his past history, his best games have been with both DMC and Gay out of the lineup.
DesertFox
Starter
He looks a lot better as a passer, and (almost disappointingly) knows his limits and stays within himself as a ball-handler. His D is passable, with his hustle and work ethic giving hope for more than that. He looks good moving without the ball, and keeps the defense honest. With the total package, he just doesn't take/make enough shots to make an impact. The day he starts calling for the ball, he will be a viable part of an NBA rotation.
I really doubt it will happen here, but I hope it does.
I really doubt it will happen here, but I hope it does.
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
If Bogdan comes over there is no reason to re-sign him and the Kings need all the cap space they can get to hopefully make a run at Ibaka or Millsap this summer. There will never be minutes where he'd have to find them. There is no reason to pull another Jason Thompson where you re-sign someone so you don't look like you wasted years developing them. If there is no trade at the deadline I'd say cut him and let him try and find a way to stay in the league with another team.
kingsboi
Hall of Famer
He might be salvageable for another team, not this one. Too many guards who will play ahead of him. Too many chances given. He might be a late bloomer for all we know but it won't happen here IMO. This is probably being brought up because this is his last chance to showcase himself before Temple returns, however, the sample size is too small right now and it will be very telling for the next two weeks or so to see if Joerger has worked his magic or not.
Assuming Bogdan comes over next year, the Kings will be absolutely loaded at SGs under contract. We'd have Temple, Bogdanovic, Richardson, and Afflalo. I think Afflalo gets cut, but that 3-man rotation doesn't have enough room for Ben. I guess we could start off the season with Bogdanovic coming off the bench as a PG? That would create room for Ben and Richardson to play together.
I think it's best to part ways though. Ben has been disappointing to say the least, and I know he's disappointed in himself. Hope this drives him into turning it around.
twslam07
All-Star
You got to just cut ties with him. You have two young SGs to develop and a steady, veteran SG in Temple. McLemore should be gone next year.
ParniValjak
All-Star
Bogdanović is NOT a PG. He is a SG who might be able to spend some time at SF in certain match ups.
KingsFanGER
Starter
Excactly. Still only 23 years old. Raptors resigned Ross in the hope he could find some consistency and it worked pretty well for them. If Ben doesn't break out now that Temple is injured for a few weeks, it's unlikely there will be a crazy bidding war going on in FA. Resigning him on a cheap team friendly deal migt be an option worth to consider. We aren't in the position to give away assets and we can't know, if Malachi or Bogdanovic will become better players than Ben.
I know Bogdanovic isn't a PG, but he could play backup PG in limited minutes. He has the repertoire and experience from his younger days. I don't think Bogdanovic will ever become an NBA PG, but he seems to excel best with the ball in his hands.
Kingsfan23
All-Star
It's almost like an abusive relationship.. when one partner does just enough to lead the other on, then whammo. Constant cyclical pattern. That's how it feels with Ben
This will be the last chance
This will be the last chance
Ben turns 24 on Feb. 11.
jcassio
Starter
I think you're being a little harsh. I think Ben needs a chance to fail with another NBA team, and then on to China!
upinsmoke
All-Star
Happy birthday? The point is he's still young enough to have his best NBA years ahead of him if he can take advantage of his opportunity. If not then it's likely he's done in Sacramento and or the league.
My point was people keep focusing on his age as though it makes some kind of difference. On Feb. 12, for example, will his BBIQ improve? Will he develop more aggression and confidence?
I honestly don't think it's about his age anyway. It's about his mindset ... and I just don't see him as having the right one for the NBA.
ParniValjak
All-Star
You are more likely to see Temple play limited back up PG minutes than you will Bogdanovic. He played that role to finish the season a few years back for Partizan when Westerman and the other PG had season ending injuries. That was a case of putting the ball into the hands of your best player and let him make things happen. At an NBA level, while his handle is good for a SG, he is not going to be doing a whole heap of PG duties. He would get killed defensively by the PG in the NBA.
Dreadnought
Bench
I would love to keep Ben around at a negligible contract. Clearly a bust for what we wanted him to be, but if he was the 10th man on our team playing limited minutes, I don't think many of us would've been that pissed.
Look how letting Seth Curry walk on an insanely team friendly deal worked out for us? IT? Tyreke?
We aren't in a position to let assets that can potentially get better walk for nothing anymore. I'm not saying break the bank for him or anything, but it would be a pretty huge mistake if we could sign him for a 3yr/9 mil type of contract and let that walk.
I have no problem letting Bogdan/Malachi/Ben fight it out next year while Temple stays in the swing-man role, where he's better at anyway.
We aren't in a position to let assets that can potentially get better walk for nothing anymore. I'm not saying break the bank for him or anything, but it would be a pretty huge mistake if we could sign him for a 3yr/9 mil type of contract and let that walk.
I have no problem letting Bogdan/Malachi/Ben fight it out next year while Temple stays in the swing-man role, where he's better at anyway.
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
He's too limited. He's a pure SG. A stubby one even. Too small to play SF. No handle, so no PG ability. So you would be keeping around a single position at best reserve. Its like Marcus Thornton. Almost a waste of a roster spot. Especially when you consider that next year by all rights we should already have Malachi, Bogdan, and Temple on the roster and eating up all those minutes. So what are you resigning Ben as at that point? A 13th man/4th SG?
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Ben is not an asset in any appreciable sense. Certainly one you can sign each and every free agency period, in late August even with the bottom of the barrel leftovers.
If Washington let's Marcus Thornton walk this summer have they let an "asset" go? No. Just a guy. Easily replaced, and with better uses for the roster spot.
Iced Espresso
Starter
Penny stock.
Are you for sure with absolute 100% certainty that Ben can't be an NBA player at age 23? Because we have basically nobody left going forward with the potential to get better, nor do we have anything resembling a long-term core.
We know who Thornton is as a player. He's hit his peak. I don't have much hope for Ben, but I'd be more than willing to take a cheap flier on him.
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Actually at this point I'm higher on Vlade's collection of young guys than I have been at any point previously. Malachi, Bogdan, Skal, WCS all have potential to be useful NBA players, and maybe a little more in a few cases. And even Papa has shown progress.
Comparatively Ben is an old vet for whom we have a ton of evidence about what he's not going to be. He's played in nearly 300 games and 6000 minutes in the NBA. Those are mid-career numbers. And he's shown minimal improvement in all that time. There's just no need to cling to some old draft reports anymore. We I assume intentionally loaded up on young incoming guys at exactly his position. If there's hope to cling to know, it should be swung that way next year.
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