Lance Stephenson Getting Michael Jordan’s Blessing
By Evan Massey
The Charlotte Hornets made a splash in free agency by signing Indiana Pacers’ star shooting guard Lance Stephenson, and Michael Jordan has made it clear that he loves the addition. Stephenson made a bigger name for himself last year during the playoffs for doing his best to challenge LeBron James and get under his skin. Whether it be the infamous face smack or the hilarious ear blowing, Stephenson did everything he could think of to throw James off.
Charlotte desperately needed a player that brought toughness, and they also needed someone to help shoulder some of the scoring load and take some pressure off of Kemba Walker in the ball-handling category. Stephenson will be able to do both of those, and is embracing the role.
Larry Bird took Stephenson under his wing during the four years that he was in Indiana, and that was a relationship that obviously helped Stephenson move forward and improve as quickly as he did. He went from being a borderline roster cut due to immaturity and off-the-court issues, to being the second best player on a team that went to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals appearances.
“For us to get any place in the East, we need someone to challenge LeBron. He challenged LeBron.” – Michael Jordan
Jordan will have the same type of relationship with Stephenson that Bird did if he sees his young star beginning to have issues with antics on the court again.
"“If I feel like he’s going the wrong way, that is when I will step in, like most parents do, and say, ‘Look you need to focus on this and think about that.”"
Stephenson also understands that he needs to calm the antics down a bit in order to have the biggest impact on the game that he can.
"“I have to cut down on the antics. I have to do whatever it takes to stay on the floor. If I get too much into the antics and get teched out, I can cost the team.”"
Needless to say, this move could be exactly what the Hornets needed to take them to the next level. Stephenson has the type of potential to become one of the NBA’s best playmakers and has plenty of room to improve his offensive game. His ability to rebound from the guard position is important as well, but he could use some work on his defense.
Take a look at Stephenson’s numbers from the 2013-14 season with the Pacers:
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/29/2014.
There are some concerns about Stephenson’s attitude and personality, as it was obvious that he rubbed some of his teammates in Indiana the wrong way. Roy Hibbert made some comments about “selfish dudes” being on the team, and they were directed towards Stephenson. Evan Turner and Stephenson got into a fist fight just before the NBA Playoffs began, and the Pacers’ skid was mostly due to the lack of team chemistry.
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Perhaps it was just time for Stephenson to move on and find a new home. He was upset that he was not selected to the NBA’s All-Star game last season, and it seemed to change the way that he played. Stephenson went from being an impressive playmaker for his teammates to focusing more on getting his own numbers.
Having Jordan be a mentor when needed will be a big help to Stephenson, and his new role will fit what he wants to do much better as well. The Hornets will be asking him to score the ball at a high level all season long, and they will allow him to be a playmaker as well.
This situation seems like an ideal fit for both sides, and Stephenson will be one of the main factors that decides where the Hornets end up in the Eastern Conference this season. There aren’t too many players in the NBA with brighter futures than Stephenson.