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Lance Stephenson: 5 ways he’ll impact the Charlotte Hornets

By Evan Massey

Mar 28, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (1) brings the ball up the court during the first quarter against the Washington Wizards Verizon Center. Washington Wizards defeated the Indiana Pacers 91-78. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (1) brings the ball up the court during the first quarter against the Washington Wizards Verizon Center. Washington Wizards defeated the Indiana Pacers 91-78. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 30, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (1) is pressured by Miami Heat guard Ray Allen (34) in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (1) is pressured by Miami Heat guard Ray Allen (34) in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Playmaking

Perhaps the most important aspect of the Stephenson signing for Charlotte will be his ability to make plays for his teammates. They already have a great playmaker and ball-handler in point guard Kemba Walker, but the addition of Stephenson will allow Walker to do some other things as well. Stephenson was the main playmaker for the Indiana Pacers last season, and helped make an absolutely awful offense look a bit better than it truly was.

Charlotte runs a type of system that Stephenson will fit into very well, and he will be the perfect addition to help get Al Jefferson easier looks inside. Stephenson does have a tendency to play too flashy at times, but he usually finds ways to make the flashiness work. The Hornets haven’t had a player that brings the type of excitement that Stephenson brought to Indiana, and it will be a very nice change for them.

Stephenson will be playing alongside a lot of talent that fits his style, and he could raise his averages even more this year. The Pacers’ offense was one of the worst in the league as far as efficiency, and that hurt Stephenson’s numbers quite a bit. That will not be the case with the offensive talent that the Hornets currently have.

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