Lance Stephenson was a big story in free agency last offseason. The former Indiana Pacers shooting guard was looking for a pay raise and his team was not willing to give it to him. As a result, he opted to sign with the Charlotte Hornets to the tune of $18 million over the next two seasons. Stephenson has not exactly been a steal for Charlotte and now could be on the trade block as the team is in need of improving quickly.
According to Grantland.com's Zach Lowe, the Hornets are preparing to make the entire roster outside of Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson. Stephenson becomes their best available asset. The Hornets have been thrilled with the production Stephenson is putting forth this season. They saw him as a perimeter threat, being able to successfully operate the pick and roll with Walker. However, that has not happened as the shooting guard is shooting just 37 percent overall while going 7-of-38 from beyond the arc. He is also no longer the defensive threat under the rim that he was with the Pacers. Now Charlotte is aiming to move on sooner rather than later while Stephenson's value is still deemed relatively high.
Any player that was signed as a free agent in the offseason is not available for trades until mid-December. So what team could make a move on the shooting guard? According to CBSSports.com, the Indiana Pacers could easily be an option. Stephenson's contract is manageable and the Pacers need help. The team has simply not looked the same this season and part of that has to do with the injury to Paul George and part of it has to do with the exit of Stephenson. The Pacers had stated prior to free agency that they wanted to keep Stephenson for the long-term, but contract demands were making that tough. If Indiana wants to be competitive this season, they need a roster addition and he would be perfect.
The Boston Celtics could be an option for Stephenson. The team's season has been up and down, but getting a player like Stephenson could help keep Rajon Rondo around for the long-term. The Hornets need upgrades in the power forward spot and Jeff Green could be a target for the team. The deal makes sense for both teams, but the likelihood the deal is made is slim.
Stephenson is a player to build around when he is on his game. Right now, the Charlotte Hornets have a lot of roster holes to fill, making him a perfect trade piece to a rebuilding team.
