Former Lottery Pick To Hold Workouts For Teams After Year Out Of NBA

A nine-year NBA veteran, he couldn't find a job Stateside, so he spent the past season in China. Now, Ben McLemore is hoping for a return to the NBA. 

According to Insider Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, McLemore will be working out for a number of teams during the Las Vegas Summer League this month. 

The now 30-year-old last played in the NBA for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021-22, suiting up for 64 games and playing about 20 minutes per contest. He averaged 10.2 points and shot 36.2% from three-point range. 

But when he couldn't find a taker for this past season, he signed a one-year deal with the Shandong Heroes of the Chinese Basketball Association in January. He played nine games there, averaging 8.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists. 

After being selected with the 7th overall pick by the Sacramento Kings in the 2013 NBA Draft, McLemore spent four years in Northern California, mostly as a starter. From there, he moved into more of a bench role, playing for four other teams, including the Memphis Grizzlies, the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Trail Blazers. 

He try to showcase for teams this month that he can still be a viable bench performer in the NBA. 

Photo: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports