The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly signing Ben McLemore for the remainder of the 2020-2021 season. McLemore was released by the Houston Rockets after two seasons with the organization.
The Lakers have looked for additional scoring to complements LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the playoffs. McLemore is a superb shooter with a career 36.3 percentage from three-point range.
This season, McLemore is averaging 7.4 points in 32 games. He brings a valuable playoff experience from his tenure with the Rockets. He has a chance to carve out a rotational role off the Lakers bench alongside Talen Horton-Tucker and Wesley Matthews on the wings.
In his eight NBA seasons, McLemore has played with the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies along with the Rockets. He was drafted seventh overall in the 2013 NBA Draft out of Kansas.
The Lakers have used the NBA buyout market to make significant additions to their team. McLemore joins Andre Drummond as the latest NBA veterans to join the defending champions this season.
This season, the Lakers sit at 31-19 overall. They are fifth in the Western Conference as both James and Davis nurse injuries. The Lakers have depended on key role players to carry the team until both players return.
Drummond provides the Lakers with more size that will work alongside Marc Gasol and Davis on the interior. The Lakers are happy to have him in the fold to create additional offensive opportunities for the starting unit.
“I think he’s going to give us a big lift in the immediate future, and then obviously when we get going,” Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said. “He can dominate the game on both sides of the ball. His physicality is something you have to account for.”
McLemore can have a similar impact as an additional scorer. When the playoffs begin, the NBA veteran has a chance to hit open shots as defensives collapse onto both Davis and James in the half-court.
Once the Lakers get to full strength, Vogel can maximize his lineups for matchups in a tough Western Conference.
“The biggest thing is we just have to get healthy. Those conversations are for the front office. My expectation is we’re going to win games with this group. I believe in the group that we have,” Vogel said recently.