The Lance Stephenson experiment didn’t exactly work out like the Hornets planned when they signed him to a three year, $27 million contract last July. So instead of continuing to pay him, Charlotte cashed out by agreeing to trade him to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Matt Barnes and Spencer Hawes.
After a breakout year with the Pacers, the Hornets hoped Stephenson would be the additional scoring punch and secondary ball-handler they needed to round out their top-notch defense. But after struggling to start the season as a starter and a demotion to the bench, Stephenson finished the season with averages of 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 25.8 minutes per game.
Even after telling reporters that he’s enjoying adjusting to his first season in Charlotte and that the transition is “going to take time,” the Hornets must have realized that Stephenson and his attitude are not a good fit in Charlotte. Not left with many options due to cap room, the Clippers, on the other hand, are willing to take the risk on Stephenson. LA may have lost its strongest wing defender in Barnes and a really cool guy in Hawes, acquiring Stephenson was a low-risk, medium-upside move that it needed to make to improve its wing situation.
