The Toronto Raptors are planning on signing guard Ben McLemore to a 10-day contract once he clears waivers, league sources told The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
McLemore was taken seventh overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2013 NBA Draft. He spent his first four seasons in Sacramento before signing a multi-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2017.
He would only feature in 56 games for the Grizzlies before being shipped back to Sacramento along with Deyonte Davis, a 2021 second-rounder, and cash for Garrett Temple this past summer.
McLemore has had trouble living up to the lofty expectations of a lottery pick in the NBA. He has only played in 19 games this season, averaging 3.9 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.2 assists a game in 8.3 minutes.
Toronto is currently desperate for bodies after a trade deadline. They traded Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, C.J. Miles to Memphis for Marc Gasol. They also shipped Greg Monroe to the Brooklyn Nets for cash.
The Raptors are in New York for a showdown with the Knicks on Saturday. Kawhi Leonard will play and the team is hopeful that Gasol will also be available, according to The Athletic’s Blake Murphy.
Two-way players Chris Boucher and Jordan Loyd will be in the lineup, as will Malcolm Miller, who the team also signed to a 10-day contract on Friday.
The 25-year-old McLemore will be the highest-drafted player and the only lottery pick on the Raptors roster, according to TSN’s Josh Lewenberg.