First thing’s first: Lance Stephenson is a bad fit as a starter with the Los Angeles Clippers.
What most plagued the talented, mercurial 24-year-old in his only season with the Charlotte Hornets was a lack of comfort alongside the ball-dominant Kemba Walker and the inability to function as a spot-up shooter. Playing a majority of his minutes with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin would only exacerbate the former problem, and unless he makes major strides from beyond the arc, the latter issue would leave the floor crowded for the Clippers’ league-leading offense.
Where Stephenson could have immense value to Los Angeles is spearheading its second unit. Doc Rivers has been looking for a viable playmaker off the bench for years, and the burly 6-foot-5 guard is his best chance yet at having found it. Pairing Stephenson with one of Griffin and DeAndre Jordan should theoretically keep the Clippers’ offense floating while Paul and the other star big man sit, too. Remember all the hand-wringing over Paul and Griffin resting simultaneously against the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs? If all goes well here, Rivers could get away with it if need be, even facing the league’s best teams.
Thankfully, Los Angeles’ coach seems understand the benefits of making Stephenson a reserve. Here’s Rivers via ESPN’s Arash Markazi:
“I like that [Stephenson] can play multiple positions — really 2, 3 and 1 — because he’s a terrific passer,” Rivers told The Beast 980. “I don’t know if I made the trade for him to be a starter, per se, I look at him really more to be a utility player that can come in and play literally three different positions for us.
But bringing Stephenson off the bench doesn’t fill the void at small forward let by Matt Barnes’ departure. That a limited player like Barnes played such an integral for the Clippers speaks to just how thin they are on the wing, despite Stephenson’s addition.
If Born Ready doesn’t start, then, just who will? According to Markazi, Los Angeles is kicking the tires on Washington Wizards forward and former Rivers pupil Paul Pierce.
One of the options the Clippers are exploring, according to sources, is Paul Pierce, who could sign a mini-midlevel exception of $3.37 million for up to three years if he declines his $5.5 million player option with Washington.
It remains to be seen whether or not the future Hall-of-Famer will play another season. He openly contemplated retirement immediately following Washington’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks, though an optimist would say Pierce hinted at returning a few weeks later.
Whether or not he’ll seriously consider leaving the Wizards for the Clippers, however, is even more of an unknown. Rivers made overtures to the 37-year-old last summer, but Pierce ultimately decided to take a two-year deal with a player option in Washington. Might he have had a potential move to Los Angeles in mind when signing that contract a year ago? Given his affinity for Rivers and Inglewood roots, it certainly seems possible.
As Pierce made clear in the postseason, he can still help a good team. As his athleticism continues to decline and body grows ever fragile, though, he’s simply not an ideal starter for a great team. Pierce needs to have his minutes managed. Rivers understands that reality, and would surely seek additional help on the wing even if adding his former Boston Celtics player to the fold shortly after Stephenson.
Does the The Truth plan on continuing his career? And if so, would he really be interested in teaming with Paul and company? We’ll find out soon enough, but that mere possibility is sure to excite Clippers fans in the meantime.
[Via ESPN]
