Ben McLemore ‘very likely’ to have contract guaranteed by Rockets

A new ESPN report says reserve guard Ben McLemore is “very likely” to have his contract fully guaranteed by the Houston Rockets.

According to a new ESPN report, the Houston Rockets are “very likely” to fully guarantee the contract of reserve swingman Ben McLemore for the 2019-20 season by Tuesday afternoon’s effective deadline.

Tuesday at 4 p.m. Central effectively serves the decision deadline for NBA teams to decide whether to keep players on partially guaranteed deals for the full season or to waive them, which can save money and free up a roster spot. McLemore is one of three Rockets without fully guaranteed contracts, alongside young prospects Isaiah Hartenstein and Gary Clark.

The potential financial savings can be especially lucrative to teams with expensive rosters like the Rockets with luxury tax concerns. However, it appears the 26-year-old McLemore has sold Houston on his value.

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Zach Lowe writes:

McLemore’s full $2 million salary for this season locks in if he remains on Houston’s roster beyond Thursday, though the more practical deadline is today at 5 p.m. [Eastern] — the last moment Houston can waive McLemore before his contract guarantees. It appears very likely he sticks beyond that deadline, even though the Rockets are barely above the luxury tax line. (They could also keep him and trade him later.)

It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. McLemore appears to have increasingly earned more trust from head coach Mike D’Antoni as the 2019-20 season has moved along, with his minutes per game rising from 7.3 in October to 24.5 in November and 27.7 in December.

His efficiency has improved in kind, with McLemore shooting 44.3% from the field and 39.2% on 3-pointers in December. Both of those figures are well above his 37.1% and 31.7% numbers in November, and his 30.0% clip in both categories during October.

It’s likely that McLemore’s minutes will decline from December levels, now that reserve guard Eric Gordon is back from a lengthy injury absence.

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However, even if his minutes dip some, McLemore has clearly shown enough for the Rockets to keep him around as a bench contributor and potentially valuable insurance policy against other future injuries.

Entering 2019-20, McLemore was largely seen as a bust ⁠— at least relative to his draft position as a 2013 lottery pick ⁠— after his first six NBA seasons with the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies. But this is the first time in his career that he’s been with a contender, and he’s currently fitting in quite well around stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

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The Rockets (24-11) also have decisions to make Tuesday regarding Hartenstein and Clark, with each facing the same timeline for his contract becoming fully guaranteed for the 2019-20 season.

Final word on their fate should arrive later Tuesday afternoon.

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