Charlotte Hornets: Is Lance Stephenson The Problem?

Is shooting guard Lance Stephenson the main issue for the Charlotte Hornets so far this season?

The Charlotte Hornets simply haven’t been able to get anything going this season, and many have begun wondering what the issues has been. Lance Stephenson appears to be one name that comes up for quite a few people, and he simply hasn’t fit in with what they have been doing this season. Rumors have begun swirling that he was the issue in Indiana late last season, and that he is the issue in Charlotte this year.

Needless to say, this is not good news at all for the Hornets moving forward as they were hoping to make it back to the Eastern Conference playoffs. At this point in time, they don’t look anything close to being a playoff contender. Stephenson’s individual game hasn’t even been good, and all he’s done is hurt team chemistry and been a major distraction.

There is no question that Stephenson’s attitude has changed and his style of play has changed since he didn’t make the All-Star game last year. He used to be a great supporting player, but then decided to go out and try to put up big numbers for himself after he didn’t get recognized by playing good basketball. Charlotte signed him hoping that he could come in and be a good third scoring option, but that simply hasn’t happened.

Stephenson has averaged just 9.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game, while shooting 36.7 percent from the floor overall and 18.4 percent from behind the three-point arc.

Those numbers simply aren’t going to get the job done, and there are plenty of reasons for his poor play. First of all, he doesn’t fit in with the role that the Hornets were hoping he could fill. One of their main issues last season was three-point shooting or lack thereof, and quite simply thinking that Stephenson could fill that role was ignorance.

Perhaps the most obvious reason that things aren’t working out is that Stephenson and Kemba Walker are not fitting alongside of each other very well. Some were expecting to see that duo be one of the deadliest back-court duos in the league, but they have been anything but that. 

When everything is said and done, Stephenson has been nothing short of a nightmare in Charlotte so far this year. They don’t look to be anything close to a playoff team, and Stephenson has a big part to do with their struggles. He simply hasn’t been able to fit into the role that the Hornets were needing, and there are already rumors flying around that they could look to move him in a trade before the deadline.

At just 24 years of age, there is time for him to figure out what he needs to be successful. That being said, it doesn’t appear that the Hornets are great for him, and leaving the Indiana Pacers has ended up being a big mistake. It will be very intriguing to see what happens throughout the rest of the season, but right now things are an absolute disaster in Charlotte.

Next: NBA Power Rankings: Where Do The Charlotte Hornets End Up?