Los Angeles Lakers: 3 reasons Lance Stephenson is a bad move

2. Stephenson is inconsistent

Here’s a classic example of the up-and-down nature of the Lance Stephenson Experience:

In Game 6 of this year’s first round series between the Pacers and Cavaliers, Stephenson was one of the best players on the floor. He put up 12 points and six assists and was a spark plug of energy for Indiana in a do-or-die game that turned into a blowout victory. In many ways, it was Stephenson at his best.

Then in Game 7, Stephenson played just 12 minutes and barely saw the court in the second half. LeBron scored 45 points and the Pacers were sent home with a loss.

As the fanbases (and coaches) in his previous stops can testify, you don’t know what you’re going to get from Stephenson from one night to the next.

It’s not uncommon for an NBA role player to be less consistent than a star, in part because his playing time and responsibilities can change due to the opponent or the flow of the game. But Stephenson’s peaks and valleys seem to be more extreme. Sometimes he is amazing. Sometimes he is invisible. Sometimes he actively hurts the team with how bad he’s playing.

Even with LeBron in L.A., and even if the team swings a trade for Kawhi Leonard, the Lakers will have little to no margin for error when it’s time to face Western Conference powerhouses like the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets. One reason LeBron couldn’t lift the Cavs over the Warriors in the Finals is that Cleveland’s role players were inconsistent at best, ineffective at worst.

The Lakers don’t need Stephenson to be that kind of unpredictable liability, but that appears to be his M.O.