What do we do if Ben McLemore is the same old Ben this year?

[bleeds_purple]

I think you guys are focusing too heavily on his offensive production.

All I really want to see from him is defense and taking open shots with confidence. He doesn't need to be anything special. His draft position is irrelevant.

If you can't be found for 5-6 good looks a game with the other team having to double Rudy occasionally, or even triple teaming Cousins every once in awhile then something is wrong.

Ben should be getting 8-10 shots a game, 5-6 good jumpers, his athleticism on the breaks or just cutting to the key etc should take up the rest.

If not he better be all defensive caliber.

Didn't mean to imply any different. We're on the same page with that. I just posted to point out the fact that we really just need defense and open shot making from his position.

That being said after seeing Casspi look like his normal scrub self (disaster waiting to happen every time he touches the ball) I would be all in favor of giving McLemore more minutes as the backup SF depending on matchups.

[blind prophet]

I think we should at least think about this for awhile till the deadline, I'm not sure how to upgrade without losing something we value, I'm also not sure what other solutions are out there.

But if we are in the hunt, and we get the same old Ben, I'd like to know what we may be able to do if anything.

Bare minimum with the production numbers, I think "Very good defense" is a good bar for now. He's just not there today, but I guess we will see if he can step it up a couple of notches.

[SmellingColors]

I'd also add that Ben looked pretty wretched in the preseason last year minus one or two games, but we saw substantial improvement during the regular season. It wasn't where we want/need him to be, but it was a big improvement from his rookie year.

The problem for McLemore is that he's been asked to be a certain player based on the personnel around him, but the personnel hasn't been stable since he entered the league. How do you define yourself based on others when the "others" keep changing? Compare that to Cauley-Stein (who was a part of the same Freshman class as McLemore) and we all see how much more prepared Cauley-Stein is after coming from a stable program for three years. Combine that with a beta-personality and it's no wonder McLemore struggles to find his role in a system that's still being formed.

So on the one hand, I empathize with McLemore and believe he hasn't been given all the tools to succeed. I also think stability in our franchise might help him more than any other player on our roster and so I'm withholding judgments for now. But I also think (on paper) Rondo is just about the ideal fit for McLemore's skill set and what we'd like him to become so if it doesn't work now then he may just not be the player we need at the position.

[SacKingZZZ]

Yeah, and I think Ben has shown his ability to make huge strides in aspects of his game rather quickly too. He deserves a chance for sure.

It's true he's asked to adjust to the personnel around him but there is a much different history between players like Ben and Willie. Willie slides right in because he's always trained to be that role player, Ben is a scoring SG on a team not needing that from him. They are now expecting a scoring SG who came in pretty green despite his numerical age to be that polished defensive role player. Some players just aren't that, some players that are have patterned themselves into being that after years of hard work. Ben has the physical tools so we'll see if he puts in the work in the area the team needs him to, and most that is between his ears. Vlade obviously knows what they need at SG and that's why he made such a hard run at the only one available at the time in Matthews. We'll have to see if Ben can be that type of player for the team. All he needs to do is really study his match up night in, night out, be prepared to spot shoot, and move to create space. Not glorious but we all know what it was like having players like DC and Artest on the Kings and having a player you feel confident in defensively against the other teams best wing is absolutely glorious to those who take notice and understand it's significance.

[Kings2013]

Personally I have a little less patience I guess then a lot of fellow Kings fans. I'm kind of naturally of the belief that by the third year it can reasonably be ascertained if a kid has "it" or not. I feel as if we have sat through two long years of his learning curve, and asking him to go unnoticed at this point should be expected. I feel as if the team is ready to go. Rondo/Gay/WCS/Cuz/Collison/Beli/Koufos/Casspi are ready to challenge, it just comes down to that same starting shooting guard bugaboo. At this point, for me, I think because of his upside in comparison to Anderson, the only option we may have at starting SG, he can be given the nod but if he isn't getting it done than I don't mind Anderson after the opening stretch. Ben still has some upside so I wouldn't advocate moving him for 2nds, but if he has to learn from the bench and from our staff in practices, so be it, but this team is now ready without him sabotaging that rotation, all other bases look covered

[SacKingZZZ]

Oh, no question I'm sure Ben's rope isn't too long. The team is trying to win and if any other option gives them a better chance of doing so they'll go with that option. I just hope if they do they understand getting back something else via trade that helps them even more should be looked at ASAP.

[benchmobbin02]

My question is what do you guys expect from him. I mean, really...this getting kinda ridiculous.

This kid, (he is 22 yo) was a high school center, played one year of college ball where he avg 16pts a game, 5 rebs, 2ast, shot .495% from the field and .420% from 3. His rookie year, he avg 8.8pts, 3reb, 1 ast, .376% from field and .320% from 3. Last year he avg 12.1pts, 3reb, 1.7ast., .437% field, .358% from 3.

He is progressing consistently and think his game will really improve due to improved point guard play and getting to watch and learn from a fearless scorer at his position in Beli.

[Kings2013]

My question is what do you guys expect from him. I mean, really...this getting kinda ridiculous.

To go unnoticed and not be a glaring weakness

[SacKingZZZ]

My question is what do you guys expect from him. I mean, really...this getting kinda ridiculous.

To go unnoticed and not be a glaring weakness

And these are kind of the hallmarks of a role player, so yes.

[benchmobbin02]

I expect his minutes and ppg to go down slightly, say from 32mins to 25min and 12.1ppg to 11.4ppg but I still think he will be the starter at the shooting guard 40% of the time. I believe his 3pt percentage will go up and his steals and overall defensive efficiency will improve. It will be a product of him not getting as many shots or minutes due to DC and Belinelli getting minutes and him having to contribute in other ways. Also a natural progression of his game.