After being drafted by the Indiana Pacers during the 2010 NBA draft, Lance Stephenson has found himself in a rough position. Stephenson (25) who is currently a free-agent is still looking for his next home, and as the season approaches, he might be out of luck. With only a few teams showing interest like the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, and the New Orleans Pelicans, many people believe it’s a bad decision to take a risk on him.
The immature acts, and the silly behavior, have pushed teams away, and possibly costing him a lot of money. Stephenson had his best season of his career during the 2013-2014 NBA season, putting up 13.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, and shooting 49% from the field. But for some reason, we all remember him for his antics during the 2014 Eastern Conference finals, against LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
Here’s Lance Stephenson interrupting the Miami Heat huddle during a dead ball.
Although Stephenson contributed so much for that Pacers team during the 2013-2014 NBA season, he will be remembered most for blowing in LeBron James ear.
Following the 2013-2014 NBA season, Stephenson would sign a $27 million contract with the Charlotte Hornets for 3 years. That relationship didn’t work out well as Stephenson only played one season before getting traded to the Clippers. The Clippers barely played Stephenson, as he would play only 15.8 mpg after playing 25.8 mpg in Charlotte. Stephenson was also caught on camera that season slap boxing with Josh Smith.
Stephenson would then get traded once again to the Memphis Grizzlies where he would only average 4.7 ppg. Now Stephenson finds himself without a contract, and minimum interest around the league. The problem with Lance Stephenson isn’t his game, but his childish behavior. It’s one thing if you’re getting in the opponent’s head, and causing them to get frustrated. But he isn’t doing that, he is actually causing distractions for his teammates and coaches. There’s been plenty of players with a ton of potential like Stephenson, that just couldn’t get their act together, and now they’re no longer in the NBA. If Stephenson wants to continue to play in the NBA, he has to grow up. We all enjoy watching Stephenson because of his effort, high energy, and his ability to bring that New York edge to the NBA. Let’s hope he can find a spot on a NBA roster, and finally prove to everyone that he has matured.
