When he isn’t hitting sweet little old ladies in the face with an errant pass – or slapping himself in the face, for that matter – Lance Stephenson has been on the back of a milk carton for most of the season. It’s been a baffling fall from grace for a player who was a core member of an Indiana Pacers squad that once posed a serious threat to LeBron James and the Miami Heat for Eastern Conference supremacy. What a difference a year makes.
Since signing a three-year $27 million deal with Charlotte in the off-season, his numbers have been in steep decline. He’s shooting at a 37.5 percent clip from the field and an even more dreadful 16 percent from behind the arc.
In fact, his numbers are down all across the board. His 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game so far are in stark contrast to the 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists he posted in Indiana in 2013-14.
He’s also spending a good deal more time riding the pine. After struggling early in the season, Stephenson promptly lost his starting job, and it was around that time head coach Steve Clifford famously scoffed at the notion that he was a star-caliber player.
“To be fair, one of the things that’s made it more difficult for him is that he came here and people proclaimed him as the next superstar,” Clifford said. “He’s not a star. He’s a guy that has talent to become a star. To be a star in this league, you have to do it over years.”
In Indiana, Stephenson built a reputation as a tenacious defender as he was able to aggravate LeBron – in more ways than one – during their many showdowns. But he’s struggled on that end of the floor as well, and Clifford has consistently turned to Jeffery Taylor or P.J. Hairston in his stead.
Things had already gotten so bad by early December that the front office was allegedly trying to unload him on any number of potential suitors around the league.
Despite all the turmoil, Stephenson told reporters Tuesday that he adamantly believes he made the right decision and that, with time, he’ll be able to evolve into the player they thought they were getting when they signed him last summer.
“I love this system. I love my coaches. I love my teammates. Some people come into systems and fit right in. Some people it takes time. I feel like with me I’m going to take time.”
The Hornets are currently battling for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, and after getting a DNP against the Celtics Monday, it’s unclear how or where he fits into the rotation in the immediate future.
(NBA.com)
