Lance Stephenson will not be returning to the Indiana Pacers. Instead, the shooting guard signed a three-year, $27 million pact with the Charlotte Hornets.
The Pacers, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers all showed an interest in signing Stephenson, who has a very high ceiling as an NBA scorer and is already one of the best young defenders in the league.
Here are five takeaways from Stephenson’s move to Charlotte.
1. Shift of (Eastern) power
The artists formerly known as the Bobcats were the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference last season and were a loss back from being the fifth or sixth seed.
The Hornets added Stephenson, Marvin Williams and rookie P.J. Hairston this offseason, giving the team an upgraded starting five. Depth, however, remains a bit of an issue.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Charlotte leap closer to the No. 5 seed in the East and be more capable of making some noise.
2. The Pacers slowed down
The Pacers could not afford to let Stephenson leave town, especially given the fact the team did not make any improvements over this summer.
The starting five now consists of George Hill, Paul George, David West, Roy Hibbert and C.J. Miles in place of Stephenson. That’s just a mediocre lineup, even in the weaker Eastern Conference.
Hibbert is reportedly on the trading block, and the team has reported interest in Rajon Rondo. Either way, the team needs to find scoring to replace Stephenson, who averaged 13.6 points to go along with 6.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
3. Are there character concerns?
We all know about Stephenson’s on-the-court antics during the Eastern Conference Finals when he teased LeBron and jumped into the Miami Heat huddle. Larry Bird expressed frustration with him, but are the Hornets concerned, too?
Stephenson’s deal includes a team option for the third year, so if he acts up the team can cut ties after two years.
4. Did Lance just take the bigger paycheck?
At 23 years old, it’s hard to fault Stephenson for chasing the bigger payday. The Pacers reportedly made Stephenson a five-year, $44 million offer, which would have paid him $8.8 million per season. Charlotte upped the ante, giving him $9 million a year.
Was $200,000 the difference between Indiana and Charlotte, or did Stephenson want to be able to hit free agency again in three — possibly two — years? Although the Hornets are shaping up to be a team on the rise, Indy was just the No. 1 seed in the conference.
5. Will Stephenson emerge into a star?
Indiana belongs the George. But given the rest of the Hornets lineup, Stephenson has a chance to turn into the team’s primary, go-to scorer.
Last season Stephenson was one of only four players to average at least 13 points, seven boards and four assists per game, along with the likes of Nicolas Batum, Kevin Love and Kevin Durant. Stephenson also led the league with five triple-doubles and set career-highs in eight different statistical categories, including points per game, field-goal percentage, rebounds, assists and 3-point shooting percentage.
For a three-year pact, it’s hard to pass up on a talent like Stephenson. Perhaps Charlotte gives him the best chance to succeed.
