Charlotte Hornets: Why Lance Stephenson Will Return

The Charlotte Hornets knew they needed to make a splash last summer. Once their bid to acquire Gordon Hayward fell through, it was on to the next target. In the end they threw $9 million per season at Lance Stephenson.

More from Charlotte Hornets

Wanting to take on a starring role, Stephenson accepted the Hornets’ offer and headed on down to Charlotte.

At the time, it seemed like a decent move. Stephenson was coming off a career season with Indiana, and minus some immature actions on the court, there was no reason to think he wouldn’t continue to improve over time, or at least remain a steady scorer.

The Stephenson “era” in Charlotte actually got off to a decent start. Or so it seemed.

He did hit this buzzer-beater against Atlanta on Nov. 7, a moment that was probably the highlight of his first year with the Hornets:

Yes, that shot was ugly. But its ugliness proved to pale in comparison to how the rest of Stephenson’s season went.

As the year progressed, he regressed. He lost his starting job and even had a couple of DNPs next to his name in the box score because Steve Clifford simply had no place for him. 2014-15 was a rough one for the 24-year-old out of Cincinnati.

But now all of that is in the past. He and the Hornets have no other option but to move forward.

A trade could lie in the future, but as of this season’s deadline, no team was seriously interested in acquiring the under-achieving and overpaid shooting guard.

The most likely scenario is Stephenson suiting up in teal and purple again next season.

One main reason why is that he seems to be a fit in the locker room, at least according to Hornets Vice Chairman Curtis Polk.

“I think first off Lance has been a great person to add to the team. I think the other players like him fine as far as locker room and whatnot. On the court, his skill set and the way our offense runs have not been complementary toward each other. He is going to have to work this summer with the staff. He’s got the skills to change his game a little bit, and there are times when maybe we have to adjust how we’re playing to highlight his skills a little bit. It’s a work in progress,” said Polk via Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.

If Polk’s assessment is accurate, this is not a Rajon Rondo-Mavericks situation. As in, non-fit on and off the court. If there were off-court issues as well with Stephenson, then he’d have to go. No matter the cost.

But since he allegedly gets along with his teammates and likes being there, it definitely increases the chances of him being a productive member in the future.

So, how high is his ceiling moving forward? What should fans realistically expect?

It seems like the 2013-14 Lance Stephenson (13 PPG, 7 RPG) may be the best we’ll see. It’s hard to imagine him ever being a true No. 1 player at this point. But that doesn’t mean a featured role isn’t waiting for him down the road.

If he does put in the time this offseason to truly learn his fit with the Hornets’ offense, things will only get better.

That being said, it’s a two-way street. The Hornets would be wise to meet him somewhere in the middle, running more plays to fit his skills, as Polk alluded to.

Lance Stephenson is unquestionably a talented basketball player, but he’s at a crucial point in his career where he must adapt his game to his new surroundings. Failure to do so will result in significant salary decrease down the road.

In the big picture, he’s still only 24 and it’s too early to completely write him off. The Hornets will make a more than acceptable decision if they decide to give him another shot in 2015-16.

Next: Should Hornets Re-Sign Williams?

More from Hoops Habit

Home/Charlotte Hornets

Charlotte Hornets: Why Lance Stephenson Will Be Back

By Andrew C. Fisher | Apr 30, 2015

More from Hoops Habit