Last night, the L.A. Clippers and Charlotte Hornets agreed to a trade that would bring guard Lance Stephenson to the Clippers in exchange for forward Matt Barnes and center Spencer Hawes. The Clippers are hopeful that as a dynamic wing player, Stephenson will become a significant part of their offense that can help to get the team further in the postseason next year.
Stephenson had only completed one year out of his three-year deal with the Hornets, but the team had been trying to trade Stephenson for some time now. While Stephenson was a key player for the Indiana Pacers during his four seasons there, he was unable to translate his skills over to his time with the Hornets, averaging only 8 points per game and only starting 25 games throughout the 2014-2015 season. The Hornets had tried to trade Stephenson during the season once it was clear that he wasn’t a good fit but the original trade fell through. Similarly, the Clippers were looking to trade Hawes after a poor season where he only averaged approximately 6 points per game. And while Barnes’ performance was decent throughout his time with the Clippers, Coach Rivers had problems with his behavior on and off the court, which was a primary factor in the team’s decision to trade him.
Stephenson sent out a message to Hornets fans addressing the move once it was announced. “Thank you to buzz city and the Hornets organization. While the past year didn’t work out as I hoped it would, I really enjoyed my time in the city of Charlotte. I will thoroughly miss the Hornets fans and my teammates who were very supportive of me over the last year. I wish the Hornets success going forward and I’m looking forward to doing whatever I can to help bring a championship to Los Angeles and Clipper Nation.”
It will be interesting to see how Lance Stephenson will fit in with Doc River’s system and if he’ll be able to revive the player he was during his days with the Pacers.
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