Ben McLemore, Grizzlies Reportedly Agree to 2-Year, $10.7 Million Contract

The Memphis Grizzlies reportedly agreed to terms Sunday with Ben McLemore on a two-year deal worth $10.7 million, according to ESPN.com's Chris Haynes.  

The Sacramento Kings declined to give McLemore a qualifying offer, Haynes reported on June 28, which made him an unrestricted free agent rather than a restricted free agent.

Few players have suffered from the Kings' general dysfunction more than McLemore, who hasn't made discernible improvement during his four years in the league.

By trading DeMarcus Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans during February's All-Star break, the Kings signaled they were taking the franchise in a different direction. Letting go of McLemore—Sacramento's 2013 first-round pick—is another step in that process.

Akis Yerocostas of SB Nation's Sactown Royalty noted the Kings could potentially clear out the remaining players from the previous front office regime this summer:

The Kings famously cast aside Isaiah Thomas in July 2014 when they decided against re-signing him. Thomas played well for the Phoenix Suns before flourishing with the Boston Celtics.

While he's still only 24, that kind of breakout is unlikely to be on the horizon for McLemore after he leaves Sacramento. 

He's coming off a 2016-17 season in which he averaged a career-low 19.3 minutes per night. The Kings had a minus-6.5 net rating per 100 possessions when he was on the floor, according to NBA.com.

McLemore could carve out a role going forward as a long-range specialist, as his three-point percentage has climbied steadily over each of his four seasons. He's a 35.2 percent shooter from beyond the arc and hit a career-high 38.2 percent of his attempts from three-point range last year. He was a 37.5 percent shooter in catch-and-shoot situations as well, per NBA.com.

In ranking the top shooting guards on the free-agent market, Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes left McLemore out of his top 10, instead listed him among the honorable mentions.

"McLemore looks the part. He's got decent size for the position, shoots a picturesque jumper with good elevation and shows flashes of high-end athleticism," Hughes wrote. "Were he anywhere but the growth-stunting environs of Sacramento, maybe he'd be an All-Star by now. If the seventh overall pick in the 2013 draft gets a basketball I.Q. transplant and learns anything about team defense, he could take a leap."

Since he's still relatively young, McLemore is a nice gamble for the Grizzlies. It's doubtful he'll play worse than he did with Sacramento, and having more stability in Memphis could help him fulfill the potential he showed coming out of college.