Sacramento Kings: 3 players most likely to be traded before deadline

2. Ben McLemore

The Sacramento Kings have invested their fair share of time, hope and patience in Ben McLemore to no avail.

In his sole collegiate season at Kansas, McLemore impressed the masses, as he contributed 15.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game on 42 percent shooting from behind the 3-point arc. His 37 college games convinced the Kings to draft him seventh overall in the 2013 NBA Draft. His first two seasons were fairly typical for a young player, averaging 8.8 points per game in his first season, and 12.1 per game in his second.

His bright, young future started to diminish in his third season, as both his minutes and his production decreased. His numbers saw a gradual fall until he signed with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2017 free agency. On a new team and in a new opportunity, it was McLemore’s time to prove himself. He was given 19.5 minutes per game to capitalize, but he fell short and disappointed yet again. The Grizzlies gave up on him early and sent him back to Sacramento with Deyonta Davis and a future second round pick.

In his return to the Kings, McLemore has only averaged 3.6 points per game, and the message is now clear for Sacramento: It’s time to give up on Ben McLemore.

He is still only 25, so there must be some teams interested in his potential. Perhaps a team in need of wing depth like the New Orleans Pelicans would be interested in trading for him.

The market for McLemore is more than likely small, and since he isn’t contributing to the team, the Kings should trade him for whatever they can get.