What can the Hornets expect from Lance Stephenson?

The Charlotte Hornets are heading into what is expected to be a big season for them and a huge step forward for the franchise as a whole. They wanted to make a major splash heading into this past offseason, and they were able to do just that by stealing shooting guard Lance Stephenson away from the Indiana Pacers. Stephenson had the best season of his young career last year, and led the NBA in triple-doubles with five.

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Stephenson played in and started 78 regular season games with the Pacers last season, averaging 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. He also posted career high shooting percentages across the board, including 49.1 percent overall from the floor and 35.2 percent from behind the three-point arc. Those numbers certainly look good for the Hornets as they desperately needed another scorer on the court against the Miami Heat in the playoffs last year.

There are some issues that surrounded Stephenson last season, especially during the playoffs against the Heat. His on-court antics with LeBron James were one of the most talked about parts of the 2014 postseason, and some of the things he did went too far and ended up being a distraction to the team. Not only did he have the antics with James, he also rubbed his teammates the wrong way with selfish play after being passed over for the All-Star game.

Michael Jordan is very high on Stephenson’s game and attitude, and he should fit very nicely with the young Hornets. He will come in and make an impact in quite a few different ways, and will help take the Hornets to the next step.

What can the Hornets and their fans expect to see from Stephenson in 2014-15?

Quite simply, he is going to bring some attitude, excitement, and will be the third scorer that Charlotte needed last season. He may not score 20 points per game, but he is more than capable of putting up that type of production when needed. His biggest impact will come as a playmaker for the offense, which will also allow point guard Kemba Walker to become more of an offensive option.

While his offensive game is fairly solid, Stephenson could use some work on the defensive end of the court. He does have a tendency to get caught watching the basketball too much, and allows his man to move around freely and get open looks. That will continue to improve with the added responsibility that he has with the Hornets, but it is a concern to keep an eye on.

All of that being said, the Hornets can expect to see a lot of improvement from Stephenson. He will live up to the hype that he received this offseason, and he will be a huge part of what Charlotte does this season. They may very well have gotten the biggest bargain on the free agent market getting him at a three-year, $24 million deal.

Needless to say, the Hornets are excited about what Stephenson will bring to the table this season. The attitude of not backing down from anyone will help as well, and his energy and excitement will be extremely contagious with the group of guys that he is playing alongside. Charlotte is looking to take the next step and become a real contender in the Eastern Conference, and the addition of Stephenson will help them with that in a big way.

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