Lance Stephenson: Pacers Roll The Dice On Talented But Volatile Guard

Lance Stephenson left the Indiana Pacers as a free agent nearly three years ago and he’s struggled mightily since then. Could a return to his original NBA home spur a resurgence for both?

The Indiana Pacers thought they had a star in the making after Lance Stephenson had a breakout season in 2013-14. Stephenson boasted averages of 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game and he was in the conversation for a spot on the All-Star team that season.

The Pacers offered Stephenson a five-year, $44 million deal in the summer of 2014 to remain with the team, but he chose to sign with the Charlotte Hornets (he received a three-year, $27 million contract from the Hornets).

Stephenson’s play on the court has regressed significantly and he has bounced around the league since leaving Indiana — playing for five teams in less than three years.

The Minnesota Timberwolves were the latest team to give Lance Stephenson an audition, but after offering him two 10-day contracts, the Wolves decided to let Stephenson go.

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The Indiana Pacers are not only having a mediocre season, but they have had a weakness at shooting guard that has dogged them all year.

Rodney Stuckey was supposed to be the team’s combo guard with size coming off the bench, but between his erratic play and multiple injuries, the Pacers have decided to move on from Stuckey.

Larry Bird has reportedly been flirting with the idea of bringing Lance Stephenson back since last summer, but an agreement could not be reached — until now.

Indiana Pacers

Indiana has signed Stephenson to a three-year, $12 million contract to rejoin the team, with the hope that he can not only fill a specific need for the club, but perhaps also recapture some of his magic from the 2013-14 season.

Now that the Pacers and their prodigal son have been reunited, what can we expect from this pairing moving forward?

Purely in terms of basketball, this is a move that has made sense for months, but particularly now that Stuckey has been waived after sustaining yet another injury.

Stephenson can give the Pacers’ second unit a boost in areas where they need it — namely ball handling, rebounding and defense. “Born Ready” can also score, although his outside shooting has been shaky in recent years.

Stephenson plays hard and with emotion and that may be one of his bigger contributions to an Indiana team that often lacks intensity.

Of course, there are reasons that Lance Stephenson has gone from team-to-team as a journeyman player since 2014. His attitude and behavior have been unstable; his reputation as an immature player goes back to his high school days in Brooklyn.

During his first stint with the Pacers, Stephenson received a great deal of help in terms of his personal growth. Bird, as well as some of the leaders on the team, kept a close eye on Stephenson and gave him a steady stream of guidance.

Once “Born Ready” left the nurturing atmosphere in Indiana, however, his career took a nosedive.

Bird is still in charge of the Pacers, but only two teammates — Paul George and Lavoy Allen  — remain from the team Stephenson last played with in Indiana.

Few question Lance Stephenson’s talent, as he is an explosive player who has very good all-around skills. The issue with Stephenson has always been his maturity level and subsequent behavior, which in turn has affected his performance on the basketball court.

Lance Stephenson has been a shell of his former self since departing Indiana in 2014, and one would hope he has learned some hard lessons from his downfall.

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If Stephenson is to return to the form that made him an up-and-coming star in the eyes of many, he is most likely to accomplish that with the Pacers — the team that worked with him and had him on an upward trajectory in the past.

There doesn’t seem to be any apparent reason why Bird would offer Stephenson the contract he is reportedly receiving, since a 10-day contract or a non-guaranteed deal for the remainder of the season would have seemingly been enough to acquire the 6-foot-5 guard.

That aside, given the current state of the Indiana Pacers, signing Lance Stephenson is a risk worth taking. This team is a middling franchise that is years away from contention (if they get there at all), so even if this experiment blows up in their face, this is a relatively low-risk proposition.

However, if Lance Stephenson can even come close to the player he was starting to become three years ago (and he is still only 26 years old), this could end up being an impactful move for the Pacers.

Additionally, if Stephenson has grown and matured at all in the last three years, there is a chance that both his play and behavior could be less turbulent than in years past.

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What the Indiana Pacers need right now is a shake-up of some kind — they are in a rut and have no real chance of making noise in the upcoming NBA Playoffs. Who better to provide that than the dynamic and unpredictable Lance Stephenson?