Orlando Magic: Lance Stephenson Intrigues
By Luke Duffy
After another season of building towards their goal of being a playoff team once more, the Orlando Magic have again fallen short of expectations. They’re getting there, and will be in the playoff mix two years from now, if not next season. But at some point they need to stop trying to build towards the bigger picture and start winning games now.
Orlando likely has another top five pick in the lottery this summer, and one of the best young cores in the league. The general feeling is that they won’t spend big in 2015 to acquire free agent players. It’s not like they’d want to come to a rebuilding team anyway, especially one that has stumbled on the road back to relevancy. Chasing the big names likely comes in 2016.
The Magic still need to push the needle somehow though, and go after a player or two who can swell their winning percentage next season. These would be more second- or third-tier players, guys who won’t cost a ton, but will have a noticeably positive effect on the team. So why not take a flier on Lance Stephenson?
To quickly recap on Stephenson, he signed a three year, $27 million deal to move from the Indiana Pacers to the Charlotte Hornets. In Indiana, he was a great creator of offense, if not a bit of a loose cannon. He wasn’t the go to guy on this team, that was Paul George and Roy Hibbert, but he was an excellent third option.
Moving to Charlotte, it was hoped he’d take the scoring burden off of the ageing Al Jefferson, while meshing well with Kemba Walker. It hasn’t happened for player or team. Injuries played a part with Jefferson missing some time, but Stephenson never got going in a Hornets uniform.
More from Orlando Magic
- The most exciting NBA team you won’t see on national TV this season
- 5 NBA teams on the rise that will surprise everyone in 2023-24
- Ranking the 10 championship-less NBA teams by closeness to title
- Orlando Magic draft odds: What are the chances of landing the #1 pick?
- Franz Wagner has smashed the sophomore slump for the Orlando Magic
Already he needs a change of scenery, while it would seem Charlotte could move in a different direction without him. Here are a couple of reasons Orlando should strike now.
For a start, his stock has never been lower in this league. Yes, it would acquire giving up some talent to get him. The criminally underused Maurice Harkless, who will be entering the final year of his rookie deal?
I’d accept that, even if paired together with some form of DeWayne Dedmon and Kyle O’Quinn (both also in the final years of their deals and whose contracts for next season aren’t guaranteed until later in the summer).
Even if a first-round pick was thrown in, I could see the logic in why. Yes it’s usually better to have these picks, as the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets know all too well, but at some point you’re going to have to overpay to get a player or two to play for you. Selling a small part of your future to make gains is also a risk you have to take to get better quicker as well.
Stephenson’s contract is also a plus. General manager Rob Hennigan should be commended for not throwing heaps of money at players. From former players like Arron Afflalo, to current ones like Channing Frye, every player on this team represents value.
Two years of Stephenson at $18.7 million ($9 million in 2015, $9.7 million in 2016) represents real value given his skill set. Remember, this was the guy who led the league in triple-doubles last season.
Lance Stephenson used to be a dangerous triple-double threat. Those were the days.
— Mike Mazzeo (@MazzNYC) March 25, 2015
Live Feed
Orlando Magic Daily
That contract works in other ways as well. If the experiment doesn’t work and he brings with him a bad atmosphere to Orlando, always a possibility, he could be shipped off with relative ease. If he’s good for the team, but ultimately not worth re-signing, using him for two years as a springboard to some modest success before waving him goodbye is also a route worth exploring as well.
On the surface the move makes a lot of sense, but of course it’s not that straightforward. Stephenson does come with that aforementioned baggage of being a bit of a loose cannon. He also plays the same position as the face of Orlando Magic basketball, Victor Oladipo.
Could you play him as a small forward? It’s pretty risky. Stephenson wouldn’t match up well with a lot of players, and he’s not much of a defender unless he’s locked in. But small ball lineups are in fashion now, and this team needs to do something.
This season, the Magic rank twenty-seventh in the league in offensive efficiency. Stephenson and his ability to generate offense would undoubtedly help here, or so you would think. The Hornets ranks one spot below the Magic in this category though, which shows us Stephenson hasn’t had the desired effect there, and that this could very easily happen again.
It’s a word of warning. I still believe this guy still exists somewhere though.
Really though I’m up for a move like this to happen. I predicted that this team would sign one second or third tier guy before going after a big fish in 2016, and Stephenson fits the bill. He’s young, relatively cheap and his stock is low, the perfect time to strike. Where he fits in with this team is kind of tricky though, he’s too expensive to bring off the bench.
Nevertheless though he’s an option worth considering. Would you be happy if the Magic took a roll of the dice on him?
Next: NBA: 50 Greatest Players Of All Time
More from Hoops Habit
- The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout