Los Angeles Lakers: 3 reasons Lance Stephenson is a bad move
By Amaar Burton
Lance Stephenson is a good player who can help a good team. That does not mean he is the right fit for the LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers.
The biggest move of the NBA’s 2018 offseason happened on Sunday evening, when the Los Angeles Lakers agreed to a four-year contract with LeBron James. But that was not exactly a surprise to anyone who follows the league.
Sunday’s most surprising move — to that point, at least — happened when the Lakers added Lance Stephenson, agreeing to a one-year deal with the 27-year-old shooting guard. Stephenson is the man who made himself mainstream famous as something in between a nuisance and a hated rival for LeBron during his time with the Indiana Pacers.
There’s no doubt Stephenson has made an impression on LeBron over the years, presenting a challenge with both his physical defense and his sometimes comical mind games. In the same paragraph, LeBron has both complimented Stephenson and compared him to a class clown.
"“Lance is just a little dirty, that’s all,” LeBron told reporters after Stephenson baited him into a technical foul during a game in January. “I mean, we got history, so I should’ve known, though. I’ve known since school that it’s not the guy who tells the joke who gets caught. It’s the guy who laughs. So they caught me on the retaliation. He played well.”"
Stephenson can bring a lot to the table for the Lakers. Listed at 6’5″ and 230 pounds, he is a powerful presence in the backcourt who can create his own shot, find teammates with his underrated passing ability, rebound well for his position, and defend the league’s best perimeter scorers. Given his skill-set and playoff experience, some would argue he’s a bargain pickup for the Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Lance Stephenson have agreed to a 1-year, $4.5 million deal, league sources told The Athletic.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 2, 2018
A former high school phenom in New York City and one-and-done sensation at the University of Cincinnati, Stephenson was drafted by the Pacers in 2010 and spent his first four pro seasons with Indiana.
He then bounced around the league for the next three years before landing back with the Pacers and resuming his role as the team’s “LeBron Stopper.” Now, he’s LeBron’s teammate.
Stephenson is a good player, but is he really a good fit for these Lakers? Here are three reasons why this move could blow up in the franchise’s collective face.