In a stunning turn of events, Lance Stephenson has decided to sign a 3 year $27 Million dollar deal with the Charlotte Hornets and the leave the Indiana Pacers, who drafted him in the second round of 2010. The deal also has a team optional contract on the final season. The way Stephenson ended up signing with Charlotte is interesting from the standpoint of how many dominoes that HAD to fall for this whole transaction to take place. Let’s start from the beginning…
- Houston offers Chris Bosh the Max of 4 years $88 Million.
- Dallas Mavericks offer restricted free agent Chandler Parsons 3 year $46 Million (Accepted)
- Indiana Pacers offer Stephenson a 5 year deal for $44 million (He Rejected)
- Charlotte Hornets offer restricted free agent Gordon Hayward 4 year $63 million (Accepted)
- Dallas Mavericks offer Lance Stephenson 2 years for $20 Million (Pending Chandler Parsons)
Now all of this happened before LeBron James decided to “Come Home” to the Cleveland Cavaliers. And once the league found out LeBron made his decision…..all Hell broke loose.
- Utah Jazz matches Gordon Hayward’s offer sheet from Charlotte Hornets.
- Chris Bosh re-signs with Miami Heat for 5 years $118 Million
- Houston Rockets decline matching Chandler Parsons offer from Dallas.
- Dallas Mavericks withdraw Lance Stephenson’s offered deal. (After signing Parsons)
- Charlotte Hornets sign Lance Stephenson for 3 years $27 million.
And there you have it, the ten step blueprint to how Lance Stephenson ended up with the Hornets. This is how crazy the NBA free agency frenzy has been this off season, it’s a feeding frenzy for who can sign who first and one up on another team. If someone asked me to give them a picture of how the NBA free agency was going, this is what I would show them.
Now when it comes to Stephenson signing with the Hornets, this potentially could be a big game changer. Although Lance Stephenson isn’t on the level of a LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony, he was without question the second best player on the Indian Pacer team after Paul George. Not only was he the second best player, but he was also the best young prospect the Pacers had other than Paul George. Therefore, with him now gone, the Pacers have essentially taken a step back in the Eastern Conference standings and the Hornets, who already had a playoff caliber team before Stephenson, now can potentially be viewed as one of the top 4 or 5 teams in the Eastern Conference; and maybe even the best team in their division with LeBron now in the Central division. While the majority of the playoff teams in the East have not made any significant moves this off season (Other than re-signing their own & obtaining draft picks) The Hornets have managed to sign a top young (although crazy) free agent. Lance Stephenson was the 9th overall pick in the NBA lottery, and an additional first round pick later in the draft. Other than Chicago signing Pau Gasol, the only other team in the East who had a better off season was the Cleveland Cavaliers who got LeBron James. And although all the talk this upcoming season will likely be about the return of James and the health of Derrick Rose. It would behoove you not to sleep on the Charlotte Hornets, because they just might end up being one of the best teams in the league with the help of this guy.
See you at the Hive!! #BUZZCITY
– JRC
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